What geolocation data must a buyer request from a Ugandan supplier for EUDR compliance?
By Sandra Nansbuga
EUDR Geolocation Coffee Data: What a Buyer Must Request From a Ugandan Supplier Before 2026
To file a valid EUDR due diligence statement for Ugandan coffee, a buyer must collect the plot-level geolocation of every farm plot where the coffee was grown, as latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal degrees, and request a full polygon for any plot over four hectares. Under Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, that geolocation data is a legal requirement of the information set attached to each consignment, not an optional extra, and it is due well before the application deadline of 30 December 2026 for medium and large operators.
Planning EUDR geolocation coffee data collection now is the single most effective step an importer can take to avoid customs holds when the obligations begin applying in December 2026.
What the EUDR Actually Requires on Geolocation
Under Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, an operator must collect, organise and keep for five years the geolocation of all plots of land where the relevant commodity in each product was produced, together with the date or time range of production. For coffee, geolocation means the plot where the green beans were grown, described as latitude and longitude coordinates. The legal definition requires at least six decimal digits of precision.
This is not regional data. The regulation rejects coarse labels such as a district or cooperative, a point the TraceX EUDR geolocation guide makes explicit. The geolocation must tie the batch to the exact plot of land.
Plot Size Decides Point Versus Polygon
The format your supplier must provide depends on plot size. For a plot of four hectares or less, a single latitude and longitude point is sufficient. For a plot larger than four hectares, the supplier must provide a polygon with enough latitude and longitude points to describe the perimeter of the plot.
| Attribute | Plot of 4 hectares or less | Plot larger than 4 hectares |
|---|---|---|
| Format required | Single latitude/longitude point | Polygon outlining the perimeter |
| Precision | At least six decimal digits | At least six decimal digits per point |
| Typical Ugandan case | Smallholder plots | Larger estates and farms |
Coordinates must be expressed in decimal degrees, and the data is submitted in GeoJSON using the WGS84 (EPSG:4326) projection, with longitude listed before latitude, per the EUDR geolocation requirements guide.
What to Request From a Ugandan Supplier Now
Ask your supplier for a structured geolocation file for each lot: a point for each plot of four hectares or less, a perimeter polygon for anything larger, in WGS84 decimal degrees with at least six decimal digits, alongside the plot identifier and the harvest date range. Also confirm the land has not been deforested after the cut-off date of 31 December 2020, because any deforestation or forest degradation on the plot disqualifies the commodities produced there from the EU market.
According to the TraceX EUDR coffee importers guide, the obligations apply from 30 December 2026 for medium and large companies and from 30 June 2027 for micro and small enterprises, and every consignment needs a due diligence statement filed in the EU Information System. Non-compliance penalties can reach at least 4% of EU-wide annual turnover, so validating the geolocation data before shipment is far cheaper than correcting a rejected statement.
FAQ
Q: When do the EUDR geolocation obligations apply to coffee?
A: The core obligations apply from 30 December 2026 for medium and large operators and from 30 June 2027 for micro and small enterprises, per the TraceX EUDR coffee importers guide. Buyers should collect and validate geolocation data well before those dates.
Q: Is a single point acceptable for every plot?
A: No. A single latitude and longitude point is acceptable only for plots of four hectares or less. For any plot larger than four hectares, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 requires a polygon with enough points to describe the plot's perimeter.
Q: What precision and format must the coordinates meet?
A: Coordinates must be latitude and longitude in decimal degrees with at least six decimal digits, submitted in GeoJSON with a WGS84 (EPSG:4326) projection and longitude listed before latitude.
Sources: EUR-Lex | TraceX | TraceX Geolocation Guide | EUDR.co