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Exports

Kenya Races to Comply with European Union Deforestation Regulation to Avoid $1.1 Billion Coffee Export Loss

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Kenyan government is working under a tight deadline to meet the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requirements, which mandate that all agricultural exports prove non-deforestation through geo-mapping. The new law, which came into effect in December 2020, requires exporters to the EU market to demonstrate that their products were not produced on land that was previously forested. Kenya risks losing up to KES 90 billion ($1.1 billion) in coffee exports if it fails to complete the geo-mapping within the set timeframe. The country has already started the process, with over 30 percent of its coffee area, spanning 16 out of 33 counties, having been mapped using satellite imagery since July.

Key Takeaways:

  • Kenya is working to comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to avoid losing KES 90 billion ($1.1 billion) in coffee exports.
  • The country has already geo-mapped over 30 percent of its coffee area, spanning 16 out of 33 counties, using satellite imagery since July.
  • Smallholder farmers produce around 70 percent of Kenya's total coffee output, emphasizing the need for compliance.
  • The geo-mapping project and EUDR compliance are critical not just for trade but for the livelihoods of tens of thousands of farmers.
  • The Kenyan government's swift action to ensure traceability and environmental sustainability highlights the economic importance of the EU market and the growing global emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices.

Statistics:

  • Kenya exports 95 percent of its coffee, with approximately 55 percent exported to the European Union mainly to Belgium, Germany, Sweden, and Finland.
  • Over the past five years, Kenya exported 122,699 metric tons (MT) of clean coffee to the EU, valued at USD 695.7 million, equivalent to about KES 90 billion.
  • The EU aims to reduce carbon emissions caused by EU consumption and production of relevant commodities by at least 32 million metric tonnes a year.
  • The Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation-free products aims to bring down greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.

Sources:

  • Kenya News Agency, "Kenya Racing to Comply with European Union Deforestation Regulation to Avoid Coffee Export Loss" (15 Sep 2025).
  • European Union, "Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation-free products" (2023).

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