The latest figures from Costa Rica’s PROCOMER trade group will be welcome news to EUDR proponents amid concerns the deforestation legislation could negatively impact smallholder coffee farmers and supply to Europe from producing countries
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A coffee plant in Alajuela Province, Naranjo, Costa Rica | Photo credit: Juliana Barquero
Costa Rica exported more coffee to Europe than the US for the first time in its history in 2024, according to new data from the country’s Foreign Trade Promoter (PROCOMER).
European countries imported 27,494 tons of Costa Rican coffee last year, accounting for 42.6% of total shipments, with Belgium, Switzerland and Germany among the largest European importers.
The US imported 25,759 tons of Costa Rican coffee in 2024, representing 40% of the country’s total coffee exports.
While total export volumes have fallen slightly over the last four years, PROCOMER said Costa Rican coffee farmers were focusing on higher quality amid heightened demand for premium and specialty coffee in Europe and Asia.
San José-based PROCOMER and the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAFE) both highlighted the figures as evidence of growing European confidence in Costa Rican coffee amid incoming EUDR laws, which come into force on 30 December 2025.
“Last year, we sold more coffee to Europe than to the US, our main buyer historically. The increase in European purchases shows we’re ready for these changes in international trade,” said Gustavo Jiménez, President, ICAFE.
The data will also be welcome news to advocates of the European Union’s incoming EUDR law, which will require EU businesses importing commodities considered ‘main drivers for deforestation’ – including coffee, cocoa, palm oil, paper and wood – to produce a due diligence statement that imports have not contributed to forest degradation anywhere in the world after 31 December 2020.
In November 2024, The Council of the EU agreed to postpone the law’s implementation amid a lack of preparedness among coffee producers, as well as widespread concerns within the coffee industry about the impact of the legislation on coffee supply chains and farmers losing access to European markets.
Costa Rica has been actuvely working to ensure its coffee exports are EUDR compliant.
In March 2024, the United Nations Development Programme reported the first shipment of deforestation-free coffee from Costa Rica to Europe, with exporter Exclusive Coffees shipping 275 60kg bags of coffee to Italy’s illycaffè. The following month, non-profit sustainability auditor Enveritas announced that Aquiares Estate, the largest Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee farm in Costa Rica, had exported EUDR-compliant coffee to Barcelona-based specialty roaster Nomad Coffee.
More than 27,300 family groups currently produce coffee in Costa Rica, with 85% of them smallholder farmers. Coffee is Costa Rica’s third largest export, behind medical equipment and fruit.
