The European Union's Ambassador to Ghana says there are no plans to ban Ghana’s cocoa on the international market.

On the contrary, the Union wants the country to produce more of the commodity. 

Speaking at the second Edition of Orange Cocoa Day 2022 in Accra, Mr. Irchad Razaarly said the EU rather wants the product and others to be produced in an environmentally sustainable way. 

This, he explained, should not be seen as a threat to ban cocoa from the country. 

“The call for more sustainable way of cocoa production is growing globally. And our citizens in Europe are increasingly demanding measures for ensuring that cocoa and other commodities are produced in a socially and environmentally sustainable way. 

This explains EU’s legislation on afforestation and forest degradation and must not be seen as a threat to Ghana’s cocoa.”

“There is no ban on Ghana’s cocoa. On the contrary, we want more of Ghana’s cocoa, and we are in support of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire amongst all of the producers who meet these requirements.”

Also speaking at the same event, the Deputy Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Katja Lasseur announced The Netherland’s commitment to efficient land use in Ghana.

According to her, The Netherlands will continue to invest in Ghana to ensure lands are used in a responsible manner. 

“Last year alone, our total agricultural exports were worth a hundred and ten billion Euros. This is made possible, amongst other things, because stakeholders work to ensure responsible and optimum utilization of land that is why we chose this theme. Because it will help to share our knowledge, technology and investment opportunities to support efficient land use.”

Recently, there have been media reports that the EU is formulating a new legislation which could see Ghana’s export of cocoa to their markets banned. 

This is due to the impact illegal mining activities [Galamsey] are having on the quality of cocoa produced in Ghana. 

This new law mandates European countries to formulate regulations that ensure that the commodities are harvested, extracted and processed sustainably.