Oct 9, 2025

At the end of July, Christoph Eisenbeiss, Head Certifications at PRONATEC, and Norvis Vasquez, our specialist in legal regulations, travelled to Peru. Their first stop was the Salón del Cacao y Chocolate in Lima, which provided an opportunity for worthwhile discussions with industry representatives from across Latin America. During the salon, PRONATEC also took part in the panel discussion held there by the Fairtrade Forum for Latin America, which was dominated by regulatory topics. As a panellist, we spoke on and discussed in-depth the opportunities and challenges of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) as well as the new EU organic regulation 2018/848.

The journey then continued to San Martin, to the ACOPAGRO smallholder cooperative. The organisation is a longstanding partner of PRONATEC and among the most successful Peruvian organic cocoa exporters. It has already made good progress with the current regulatory requirements: certification according to the new EU organic regulation has been completed, and the EUDR data of all producers has been recorded in full.

The focus of our visit was on inspecting individual plots of land that had been flagged as critical in the satellite evaluation. It was evident on the ground that well-managed agroforestry plots are repeatedly being classified as problematic, even though the EUDR requirements are met. With the aid of relevant photos and explanations, use of the plots can continue. While the time-consuming follow-up work is also demanding for the cooperatives, it is very important for the smallholder farmers.

“To ensure that all outstanding EUDR-relevant measures can be implemented in an efficient and timely manner, we are continuing to assist ACOPAGRO with specific training and technical know-how.”
Christoph Eisenbeiss, Head of Certifications PRONATEC

The next stop was at the Helvetas project “Paisajes Sostenibles de Cacao”, which is supported by the SECO via the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa (SWISSCO). Work here includes the development of concepts that combine biodiversity, sustainability, commercial use and social aspects. This is carried out together with ACOPAGRO and the company abunda+, which is behind the geolocalisation data recording software of the same name. PRONATEC supported the development of this web- and smartphone-based software with its roll-out in various partner cooperatives.

Impressions from Peru show how advanced the cooperatives already are in dealing with the EUDR and the EU organic regulation, even if things are not always straightforward. Accurate data, organised processes and open communication form an important basis for ensuring stable, transparent supply chains for organic cocoa from Peru, including in the future.

This year, the main organic cocoa bean harvest in the Dominican Republic was unusual. Rather than stretching over 20 weeks, as is often the case, the season only covered around eight weeks this time – accompanied by very high harvest yields. This meant an exceptionally busy April and May for the smallholder cooperative FUNDOPO and our subsidiary YACAO: harvesting and processing the huge quantity of cocoa beans in such a short time took considerable additional effort. The financing volumes required were huge and had to be secured as quickly as possible. The processing centres worked around the clock and the drying areas were temporarily extended.

This unusual harvest situation was a considerable challenge for all concerned, requiring close coordination between the four Dominican processing centres, the YACAO headquarters in Santo Domingo and PRONATEC in Europe. The pressure was increased by regulatory requirements, as the deadline for the last transition periods of the new EU organic regulation is fast approaching. Together with our subsidiary YACAO, we are supporting the smallholder cooperative FUNDOPO with this changeover. Although the process is time-consuming and resource-intensive, it is going according to plan with discernible progress. The picture is also positive regarding the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products: good progress has been made with recording and verifying the EUDR-relevant plot data. YACAO is also taking on technical and administrative support in this regard to lighten the load for local producer families.

Due not least to its consistent quality and low cadmium levels, demand for Dominican organic cocoa on the global market remains high. The fact that the flow of raw ingredients did not come to a halt even during the most intensive weeks of the 2025 harvest season is thanks to the well-established structures and the close collaboration of all parties involved. While there were short-term bottlenecks, no severe interruptions to supply occurred. At the same time, we were able to gain valuable experience that will enable us to better manage future harvest peaks. High stock levels of organic cocoa beans mean that we are now well placed for the months ahead.