Relief for farmers as EU delays deforestation law

Indigenous trees have disappeared from forestS over time either through logging or charcoal burning. [File, Standard]

Kenya will still be able to export its coffee to European Union (EU) countries in 2025 without the looming impact of the anti-deforestation regulations. The law, which was introduced on 29 June 2023, was set to come into effect on 30 December 2024. However, the EU Council has decided to postpone its implementation by 12 months.

These regulations were designed to prevent products linked to deforestation from entering the EU market. This delay offers significant relief to coffee farmers, as the law would have required companies exporting products made from coffee, cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, and rubber to demonstrate that these products did not originate from land that had been deforested.