The purpose of this note is to inform you that, on December 19th, 2025, the Decree enacting the Sustainable Development of Coffee Farming Law (the “Decree”) was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (Diario Oficial de la Federación). Below you will find a general overview of the objectives and scope of the new legislation enacted by the Decree.
Decree of Enactment
Additionally, the Decree repeals the 1972 Law on the Processing and Sale of Roasted Coffee, replacing it with a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the entire coffee production chain.
Purpose and Scope of the Law
The Law aims to regulate and promote the production, distribution, industrialization and commercialization of coffee, under an environmental, social and economic sustainability approach. It applies to all individuals and legal entities participating in the coffee value chain in Mexico, including producers, collectors, industrial processors, traders, roasters, importers and exporters. Its main pillars include:
- The promotion of quality standards for Mexican coffee throughout all stages of the production chain.
- The encouragement of sustainable coffee farming practices, particularly shade-grown cultivation, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
- The strengthening of producer organization and value chain integration, with a view to improving competitiveness and pricing conditions.
Authorities and New Institutional Framework
The Law assigns the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural) responsibility for leading public policy on coffee farming and establishes the National Commission for the Development of Mexican Coffee Farming (the “Commission”) as a coordination body among the public, social and private sectors. Among other functions, the Commission will be responsible for proposing public policies, issuing technical opinions and promoting the competitiveness and sustainability of the coffee sector.
Information, Registries and Traceability
The Law establishes the National Coffee Farming Information System of Mexico (the “System”), which will be public in nature and coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The System is intended to collect, integrate, analyze and disseminate strategic information on all participants in the coffee production chain, including economic, statistical, regional, environmental and market data.
The System will include information related to:
- Coffee producers, collectors, industrial processors, traders, importers and exporters.
- Coffee-growing regions, production volumes, quality standards, agroecological practices and associated environmental services.
- Prices, domestic and international markets, foreign trade and business opportunities.
Additionally, the Law establishes the Registry of Coffee Producers, Collectors, Industrial Processors, Traders and National Importers and Exporters (the “Registry”), which will be progressively integrated into the National Agricultural Registry System.
The purpose of the Registry is to organize the production chain, facilitate the traceability of Mexican coffee and enhance market transparency, without prejudice to intellectual property rights and personal data protection regulations.
Although the Law does not, in itself, impose immediate new reporting obligations, it anticipates an environment of greater information systematization and traceability, which may, in the medium term, impact sourcing strategies, certification schemes, regulatory compliance and supply chain due diligence processes.
Commercialization, Pricing and Quality
With respect to commercialization, the Law provides for an institutional framework for market analysis and monitoring, through specialized committees tasked with preparing studies on production expectations, consumption, imports, exports and production and commercialization costs at the various stages of the value chain.
In particular, the Law contemplates the development of price reference indicators and cost studies to identify ranges and weighted averages of Mexican coffee prices, both for the domestic and export markets, taking into account variables such as quality, region, type of processing and international market conditions. Importantly, these references do not constitute official or mandatory prices, but rather nonbinding public policy guidance tools to support decision-making by market participants.
Furthermore, the Law promotes the differentiation of Mexican coffee qualities, encouraging recognition of physical, organoleptic, environmental and cultural attributes linked to specific producing micro-regions, with the aim of fostering differentiated pricing schemes based on quality and sustainability.
Regulation relating to quality standards, certifications, labeling and technical processes will, where applicable, be governed by the relevant Official Mexican Standards (Normas Oficiales Mexicanas), in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and pursuant to the Infrastructure Quality Law, which is particularly relevant for companies involved in the industrialization, commercialization, or export of coffee and its derivatives.
Relevance for Industry Participants
For companies with a presence in Mexico’s coffee supply chain, the Law represents a new public policy framework emphasizing sustainability, quality, traceability and engagement with producers. These elements will be relevant for responsible sourcing strategies, certification processes, regulatory compliance and brand positioning.
We remain at your disposal to further discuss any of the points above or to analyze the specific implications of this Law for your operations in Mexico.
