Fairtrade International has introduced a new digital tool, Plot Insights, designed to assist coffee and cocoa cooperatives in managing and verifying the geolocation data required for compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The platform, announced in mid-June, will be available at no cost to Fairtrade-certified producer organizations to help them meet the EU's stringent traceability demands.
The Plot Insights platform allows cooperatives to upload farm plot data, receive immediate feedback on data quality, and obtain a deforestation risk analysis. This analysis is provided through a partnership with the Dutch firm Satelligence. Beginning in October, the system will integrate with Fairtrade’s existing Fairtrace sales platform, enabling cooperatives to attach EUDR-aligned data directly to sales contracts for use in importers' due diligence statements.
This initiative directly addresses industry-wide concerns that the financial and technical burden of EUDR compliance will disproportionately affect smallholder farmers. The regulation, which requires importers to prove products did not originate from land deforested after December 31, 2020, is scheduled for enforcement for larger operators starting December 30, 2026. According to Fairtrade, its regional producer networks are currently assisting over 800 certified cooperatives in adopting the new platform.