Product information transparency
On 23 June 2023, the European Union introduced the EU Deforestation Prevention Regulation (EUDR). The EUDR aims to combat forest degradation globally.
Mr. Pham Tuan Anh, Director of Dak Nong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that EUDR regulations require 7 groups of products: cocoa, coffee, soybeans, palm oil, wood, rubber and livestock.
Except for palm oil, Dak Nong has all products subject to EUDR regulations. Coffee is currently Dak Nong's main export product to Europe, followed by rubber, cocoa and other products.
The European Union's anti-deforestation regulation (EUDR) has been postponed until December 31, 2025 for large enterprises; June 30, 2026 for micro, small and medium enterprises.
Dak Nong Bazan Coffee Company Limited has 2 products directly affected by EUDR regulations. Recently, the Company has researched information and regulations of EUDR.
According to Mr. Le Van Hoang, Director of the Company, the notable point of the EUDR regulation is the requirement for transparency of product information, especially the origin and production area of agricultural products.
This is something the company is concerned about and has prepared for. The company will review production households to compile statistics, verify land origin and support farmers with information transparency procedures.
Mr. Hoang said that in 2025, the company will expand its market to Europe for coffee and cocoa products. Therefore, preparing to adapt to EUDR regulations is very important.
Mr. Pham Tuan Anh, Director of Dak Nong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that coffee is Dak Nong's main export product to Europe and is most affected by EUDR regulations.
Coffee accounts for about 44% of the province's agricultural land area. Most farmers in Dak Nong have a few coffee gardens.
This is a challenge for Dak Nong in determining the coordinates and origin of coffee production land. The coffee area is large but the certified production rate is low.
According to Mr. Anh, Dak Nong is actively coordinating with all levels, sectors, and specialized units to review, compile statistics, and determine the origin of land used to produce coffee and many other crops.
Dak Nong will soon launch a system to locate cultivated land so that export enterprises can carry out licensing procedures from EUDR and bring agricultural products to Europe.
Talking about the solution, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Trong Yen said that the Provincial People's Committee has issued an action plan framework to adapt to EUDR regulations under the guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Dak Nong has established a provincial public-private working group to implement an action plan framework to adapt to EUDR regulations, with special attention to product information transparency.
The Provincial People's Committee directs departments, branches and localities to strengthen propaganda, dissemination, and develop plans to organize and implement EUDR regulations effectively and sustainably.
"From the difficulties, it can be seen that information transparency for Dak Nong agricultural products to enter Europe is in great need of companionship, synchronization, and determination to implement from the Central to local levels, farmers, and businesses," Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Trong Yen emphasized.
Sustainable production
Enterprises and cooperatives that export or have products supplied to partners for export to Europe are entities directly affected by the provisions of the EUDR regulation.
Many enterprises and cooperatives in Dak Nong have calmly implemented solutions to adapt to this regulation. In particular, enterprises and cooperatives are promoting green transformation and sustainable agricultural production.
Toan Hang Private Enterprise in Nhan Co Commune, Dak R'lap District is implementing 3 sustainable coffee production projects according to Rainforest, 4C Toan Hang, 4C Nestle standards, with 1,019 participating households, an area of 4,168 hectares, and an output of about 12,000 tons/crop.
The coffee acreage of the associated enterprise is mainly in the areas of Dak R'lap district, Tuy Duc district and Gia Nghia city. Besides mainly serving the domestic market, a part of the coffee output of Toan Hang enterprise is exported to the European market.
Mr. Truong Cong Toan, Director of Toan Hang Enterprise shared: “More than 10 years ago, we participated in sustainable coffee production. For our coffee products participating in the RA program, 4C is also one of the advantages to implement the EUDR regulation”.
According to Mr. Toan, recently, the enterprise has guided farmers to produce according to technical standards and product quality based on sustainable and environmentally friendly criteria.
One of the requirements to be met when coffee enters Europe is to prove that it is not grown on forest land. Therefore, the company has stepped up propaganda, information and orientation, so the majority of the associated households have proactively made land certificates.
For households that do not have a certificate or have not made a certificate, and want to prove that the coffee land is not deforested land, the enterprise guides them to go to the commune-level People's Committee to confirm the origin of the land. "For the few farmers who have not made a certificate, we are continuing to guide them," Mr. Toan informed.
Mr. Vo Quyet, Deputy Director of Cong Bang Thuan An Agricultural Cooperative, Dak Mil District, said that the Cooperative has cooperated to grow and care for over 460 hectares of coffee that meet RA and international organic standards FLO-Fair Trade. The Cooperative's ground coffee products meet 4-star OCOP standards.
All members of the cooperative produce on land that has a certificate and meets clean agricultural product standards. Over the years, the cooperative's coffee products have been supplied to partners for export, including the European market.
The majority of the cooperative's coffee was grown in Dak Mil district before 1997. In previous years, inspection teams from Fair Trade and RA organizations visited the cooperative members' gardens to verify the coffee growing area and determine the specific location.
"According to regulations, if any garden affects the forest, they will definitely not allow farmers to become HXT members. Therefore, we are not worried about EUDR regulations," Mr. Quyet shared.
Krong No Agricultural Cooperative currently has 120 hectares of cocoa grown in Krong No, Dak Mil, Cu Jut. Mr. Vu Van Nghia, Director of the Cooperative, said that the EUDR regulation contributes to protecting global health and the environment, which is a very good thing.
Therefore, the cooperative complies with forest protection regulations and this is also an advantage for bringing products to the European market, helping to increase economic value for producers.
Seize the opportunity
At the workshop on EUDR regulations organized by Dak Nong Provincial People's Committee on November 7, 2024, Mr. Pham Tuan Anh, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that EUDR is both a challenge and an opportunity for Dak Nong agriculture.
The challenge is the workload and the requirement to comply with the EUDR regulations is extremely complex. However, this is also an opportunity for Dak Nong to arrange and reorganize agricultural production towards transparency and responsibility.
Mr. Pham Tuan Anh explained that Dak Nong does not have a database system and is not transparent about the legal basis for agricultural production.
The EUDR regulation is an opportunity to restore order, gradually avoiding the story of "good harvest, low price", where farmers are disadvantaged in all aspects.
Now is the time to reset the “game”. Businesses, roasters, exporters and consumer markets must take responsibility for farmers.
"Implementing the EUDR regulation is mandatory and an opportunity to review production and restructure Dak Nong agriculture towards sustainability, responsibility, and green growth," Mr. Pham Tuan Anh shared.
Mr. Truong Cong Toan, Director of Toan Hang Enterprise, said that many of Vietnam's regulations on forest protection are stricter than Europe's. Therefore, implementing the EUDR regulations will help Dak Nong's agriculture improve and create an opportunity to sell more agricultural products.
According to Mr. Toan, currently, products such as coffee, cocoa and many other agricultural products are having good prices. This is a golden opportunity for Dak Nong agricultural products in particular and Vietnam in general. As long as farmers and businesses strictly comply with EUDR regulations, it will bring about efficiency.
Mr. Vo Quyet suggested that all levels and sectors pay more attention to cooperatives, businesses and people in improving product quality to export to Europe. Because implementing EUDR regulations is mandatory but takes a lot of time and costs.
At the workshop on EUDR regulations organized by Dak Nong Provincial People's Committee on November 7, 2024, Mr. Gonzalo Serrano De La Rosa, Deputy Head of Cooperation Department, European Union Delegation, assessed that not only coffee but also other products of Dak Nong such as cocoa, pepper, durian, fruit... are all of very high quality.
Dak Nong has made great efforts in promoting sustainable agricultural production, creating greener, cleaner and more sustainable products.
Such forms of production are very much in line with the United Nations development goals. They are also very much in line with the circular economy production principles and also meet the EUDR regulations.
According to Mr. Gonzalo, the free trade agreement between Vietnam and Europe creates great opportunities for Vietnam. Trade between Vietnam and Europe has increased by 40% in recent years.
However, Europe also sets out strict regulations that must be followed. Compliance with EUDR regulations is not only a challenge but also an opportunity for Vietnam.
This is an important opportunity for Vietnam to boost trade. Implementing the EUDR is a very important step, contributing to Vietnam's very ambitious climate target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
Mr. Gonzalo analyzed that Europe's delay in implementing the EUDR has created an opportunity for Vietnam to learn more and prepare better before implementing this regulation.
Hopefully, Vietnam will have a good transition and will be the leading country in the ASEAN region in complying with EUDR regulations.
Vietnam is considered a country with quick and active measures to comply with EUDR regulations. While some other countries are confused. This is an opportunity for Vietnam to increase its exports to the European market and other countries.
The measures taken by Vietnam to comply with the EUDR regulations are to strengthen public-private partnerships. To solve this problem, not only ministries, sectors and localities but also businesses and people need to cooperate to sustainably transform industries affected by the EUDR regulations.
Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Trong Yen shared that the province will learn from the experiences of other provinces and cities; consult with leading experts to build a roadmap for developing the agricultural sector in a sustainable direction, associated with climate change, and not causing deforestation in the coming time.
Agricultural enterprises strengthen international cooperation to create prestige, build brands and grasp the characteristics of the European market well to sell products at good prices and in large quantities.
Dak Nong has a total agricultural land area of over 378,000 hectares. The area of annual crops in the whole province is over 86,000 hectares, and perennial crops are about 235,000 hectares.
Source: https://baodaknong.vn/quy-dinh-eudr-luat-choi-de-nong-san-dak-nong-vao-chau-au-238906.html
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