1. The 4-Layer Audit-Ready EUDR Evidence Pack for Vietnam Green Coffee (HS 0901)
Under EU Regulation 2023/1115 (EUDR) and Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Action Plan (Decision No. 2855/QĐ-BNN-KHCN), green and roasted coffee shipments entering the European Union must be backed by a verifiable 4-layer digital dossier:
(1) Plot Geolocation Coordinates: GPS point coordinates (6 decimal places) for smallholder plots under 4 hectares, and full multi-vertex GeoJSON polygon boundary files for farms exceeding 4 hectares across Lâm Đồng, Đắk Lắk, Gia Lai, and Đắk Nông.
(2) Dec 31, 2020 Satellite Baseline Check: High-resolution spatial verification confirming zero conversion of forest land after the December 31, 2020 EUDR cutoff.
(3) Statutory Land-Use Legality (Sổ Đỏ): Verification of Vietnamese Land Use Rights Certificates (Giấy chứng nhận quyền sử dụng đất) confirming designated agricultural zoning rather than protected forestry land.
(4) Segregated Chain-of-Custody Mass Balance: Physical separation from cherry intake and wet/dry hulling to 60kg jute bag or 1-MT bulk liner stuffing, generating a clean Due Diligence Statement (DDS) reference in the EU TRACES NT system.
2. Technical Quality Grading: TCVN 4193 Robusta R1 S18 & Cau Dat Washed Arabica
Beyond EUDR traceability, institutional roasters require strict adherence to TCVN 4193 and Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) physical parameters. For Vietnam Wet-Polished or Natural Robusta Grade 1, Screen 18 (R1 S18): moisture must not exceed 12.5% max, black and broken beans capped at 2.0% max, foreign matter ≤ 0.5% max, and minimum 90% retention on Screen 18 (7.1mm).
For Cầu Đất / Đà Lạt High-grown Washed Arabica (Catimor, Bourbon, and Typica varieties cultivated at 1,400m–1,650m elevation in Lâm Đồng Province): Screen 18 and Screen 16 lots are cupped for clean acidity, zero phenolic/rioy defects, and packed in GrainPro-lined 60kg export bags (19.2 MT to 21.6 MT per 20' FCL).
3. Direct Mill & Cooperative Sourcing Across Lam Dong and Dak Lak
Because village-level collector networks often mix coffee cherries from mapped and unmapped farms, European and global roasters increasingly bypass urban spot-market traders in favor of direct contracting with origin-based wet and dry mills in Lâm Đồng (Đà Lạt / Bảo Lộc), Đắk Lắk (Buôn Ma Thuột), and Gia Lai. Conducting on-site audits of cooperative polygon registries, parchment storage conditions, and pre-shipment moisture/screen grading at the mill gate ensures full EUDR compliance before container stuffing.
4. Key Specifications & Summary Table
| Export Grade / Origin | Screen & Moisture Spec | Defect & Foreign Matter Limit | Traceability & Export Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet-Polished Robusta G1 Scr 18 | ≥90% Scr 18 (7.1mm) | MC ≤12.5% | Black/Broken ≤2.0% | FM ≤0.5% | GeoJSON/GPS + DDS + Form EUR.1 + Phyto |
| Natural Robusta G2 Scr 16 | ≥90% Scr 16 (6.3mm) | MC ≤12.5% | Black/Broken ≤5.0% | FM ≤1.0% | Plot Geolocation ID + Independent Lab COA |
| Da Lat / Cau Dat Washed Arabica S18 | 1,400–1,650m | ≥90% S18 | MC ≤12.0% | Minimal Primary Defects | Clean Cup | Land Tenure Record + GrainPro 60kg + EUR.1 |
| Freeze-Dried / Spray-Dried Instant | HS 2101.11 | Bulk Density & Solubility | Pure Robusta / Arabica Blend | ISO 22000 / BRCGS + Bean Origin Traceability |
5. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do Vietnamese coffee exporters comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)?
Compliant Vietnamese mills work with provincial agricultural databases in Lâm Đồng and Đắk Lắk to record GPS points (<4 ha) or GeoJSON polygons (>4 ha) for contributing farms, verify no forest conversion occurred after December 31, 2020, confirm lawful agricultural land-use certificates, and segregate compliant lots during milling to file an EU TRACES Due Diligence Statement.
Q2. Where can I source traceable Arabica and Wet-Polished Robusta coffee in Vietnam?
High-altitude Washed Arabica is cultivated primarily around Cầu Đất and Đà Lạt in Lâm Đồng Province (1,400m–1,650m elevation), while large-scale Wet-Polished and Natural Robusta (Grade 1 Screen 18 and Grade 2 Screen 16) are grown and milled across Đắk Lắk, Lâm Đồng, Gia Lai, and Đắk Nông.
Q3. What documents are required in an EUDR Due Diligence Statement (DDS) for Vietnam green coffee HS 0901?
Importers require plot-level GPS/GeoJSON coordinates for all contributing farms, satellite verification against the Dec 31, 2020 baseline, proof of lawful agricultural land tenure (Sổ đỏ), segregated mill mass-balance records tied to the export lot number, Plant Protection Department (PPD) Phytosanitary Certificate, and EVFTA Form EUR.1 Certificate of Origin.