Securing organic cocoa supply chains: Assessing the effects of recent regulatory changes on smallholders and developing mitigation strategies

The study aims to evaluate the impact of recent regulatory changes on organic cocoa supply chains, and to develop strategies to stabilise and strengthen the supply of Fairtrade organic cocoa, with a particular focus on smallholder producers. The project is jointly implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and Fairtrade International, made possible by a grant from the SWISSCO Peer Learning and Collaboration Programme, supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

Since the transition to the EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 in 2025, many small producer organisations have faced significant organisational hurdles and rising costs. These challenges are exacerbated by the parallel adaptation to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and historically high cocoa prices, which have placed considerable pressure on the economic viability of organic exports to Europe.

Between March and October 2026, the study will conduct a detailed analysis to address critical data gaps, understand compliance-related costs, and develop practical solutions to stabilise the organic cocoa supply. Project activities include:

• Global producer survey: Collecting quantitative data on production changes and compliance costs while gathering feedback on potential solutions. The survey is also open to other products to provide essential benchmark data.
• Expert interviews: Engaging with cocoa traders, organic control bodies and other key stakeholders in Europe to capture market-wide perspectives.
• In-depth analysis: Conducting root cause and compliance cost evaluations for the top Fairtrade organic origins in Latin America and Africa in collaboration with CLAC and Fairtrade Africa.
• Action-oriented recommendations: Defining solution pathways for producer organisations, commercial partners and the Fairtrade system to increase and stabilise supply.

The results will be published as a research study and presented in public webinars.

• Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa, Switzerland
• State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Switzerland

• State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO – Economic Cooperation and Development

• Fairtrade International, Germany

• Meinshausen Florentine (Department of International Cooperation)

• Blockeel Johan (Department of Food System Sciences)
• Richter Toralf (Department of International Cooperation)

• Evaluation & Impact Assessment (Department of Food System Sciences, FiBL Switzerland)
• Value chains & Markets (Department of International Cooperation, FiBL Switzerland)