InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arif Havas Oegroseno highlighted the challenges faced by small coffee and palm oil farmers in meeting the European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). During the opening of an event in Jakarta, he emphasized that this regulation requires small farmers, cooperatives, and exporters to understand strict requirements before their products can enter the European market.
"Many coffee farmers export directly, while small palm oil farmers typically sell their harvests to large industries that handle processing or export," said Havas. "Thus, coffee and cocoa farmer cooperatives that engage in exports are considered operators and must comply with Articles 2, paragraphs 15 and 16 of the EUDR."
According to Havas, the regulation includes obligations for operators to understand various trade rules, including Article 4 regarding operator obligations and Article 8 concerning technical export requirements. "Article 9 regulates auction requirements, while Article 10, paragraph 2, and Article 11 require cooperatives to understand sanctions from the UN Security Council," he added, as reported by InfoSAWIT from the YouTube channel Kaoem Telapak on Saturday (March 22, 2025).
One of the main challenges in this regulation is geotagging, which is often seen as the primary requirement. However, Havas stressed that geotagging is just a small part of the various provisions that must be met. "Discussions in Rotterdam yesterday showed that the European industry itself is still debating the implementation of this regulation," he stated.
Havas also addressed the issue of transparency in European regulations. He revealed that although regulations like SVLK (Timber Legality Verification System) and FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade) are recognized, their implementation in European countries is still far from satisfactory. "In Germany and France, these rules are understood, but in Eastern European countries like Romania and Bulgaria, they are either unaware or indifferent," he explained.
Additionally, he highlighted the differing treatment of Indonesian farmers compared to those in Europe. "Are wood farmers in Europe also required to submit geotagging? Are they prepared?" he questioned.
This discussion serves as a momentum for stakeholders in Indonesia to gain a deeper understanding of the EUDR regulations and prepare strategies to address them. Given the complexity of the existing rules, close coordination between the government, industry, and farmers is essential to ensure that Indonesian agricultural exports remain competitive in the global market. (T2)
