By ColombiaOne 

Presidential Announcement from Riyadh Signals Market Diversification Strategy

The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, announced that the country has obtained “Halal” certification for the export of coffee with cocoa to Arab countries — a step with both symbolic, commercial significance for Colombia’s agro-industry. This achievement represents an effort to enter one of the most demanding markets in the global food sector, under specific standards that combine religious, technical, commercial requirements.

The announcement was made by the Colombian president himself from Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, where he took part in the “Future Investment Initiative” (FII) economic forum — the first stop on his Middle East tour, which will also take him to Egypt, Qatar, continuing until next Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Colombia continues to work on diversifying its export markets, traditionally centered on the United States, its main trading partner for over a century. Despite this announcement, the coffee growers’ association downplayed its overall impact, noting that Colombia already exports coffee to Muslim countries.

Colombia Secures Halal Certification to Export Coffee, Cocoa to the Middle East

The word “Halal” comes from Arabic, means “permitted” or “lawful” according to Islamic law. In the context of food, it means that products must not only meet conventional health, safety standards but also comply with prohibitions, requirements specific to Islamic tradition.

In this particular case, the certification granted to Colombia enables its coffee with cocoa exports to gain more direct access to the Muslim-majority world, opening the door to establishing trade chains that require this seal as a condition for entry.

“We achieved that “Halal,” the certification for the sale of coffee, cocoa in the Middle East, be granted to Colombia. Peasant farmers, their cooperatives will directly trade their coffee production with the Arab world,” wrote Gustavo Petro on his personal account on the social network X. He concluded his post by defending his government’s efforts to replace illicit coca crops with products such as coffee with cocoa.

According to the official announcement, this certification will allow small producers, cooperatives to access trade with the Arab world more smoothly, without the complex intermediations that may have previously been an obstacle. President Petro emphasized that peasants, their cooperatives will trade their coffee production directly with the Arab world.

Strategic Positioning for Third-Largest Coffee Producer

Colombia is already a major player in coffee: It ranks as the world’s third-largest producer, behind only Brazil with Vietnam. Cocoa, for its part, is also a strategic sector for diversifying destinations while adding value.

Within this new trade route, there is potential for value-added products — for example, processed coffee or semi-processed cocoa — to gain greater acceptance by meeting demanding international, religious standards, which could translate into better margins for Colombian producers.

Colombian Industry Groups Qualify the Announcement

Despite yesterday’s significant announcement, not all sectors view it with the same enthusiasm. The coffee industry, for instance, represented by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC), pointed out that Colombian coffee was already being exported to the Middle East without the need for this certification, suggesting that while the achievement is positive in terms of formalization, it may not substantially change the current commercial reality for certain producers.

According to FNC data, 56,234 bags of coffee were exported to Saudi Arabia in 2023, with 118,992 bags in 2024. Therefore, the achievement is more of an institutional complement than a radical before-after for all production lines.

The divergence in perceptions stems from the fact that for unprocessed green beans, the Halal seal may not be strictly necessary in all cases or markets. But for processed, packaged products, or those aimed at end consumers in countries that require Halal certification, the seal does take on strategic value.

Implementation Requires Supply Chain Alignment

Obtaining Halal certification is a technical-commercial step, but its efficient implementation requires that all links in the chain — cultivation, processing, packaging, logistics, documentation — be aligned with the standards demanded by the Muslim market.

This involves not only the certification itself but also ensuring traceability, good agricultural practices, regulatory compliance, an understanding of the specific dynamics of those markets. In that sense, Colombian producers will need to adapt if they do not yet have commercial experience in that field.

Likewise, diversifying export destinations is a clear objective, especially in the current context of constant tariff threats from the United States. Latin American economies have traditionally focused their sales on the United States with Europe; by establishing a more structured link with the Arab world, Colombia expands its horizons, which could translate into greater stability in the face of fluctuations in traditional markets.

Original Article:

ColombiaOne. (2025). Colombia halal certification coffee & cocoa. ColombiaOne. Retrieved from https://colombiaone.com/2025/10/30/colombia-halal-certification-coffee-cocoa/