The European Union (EU) and Ghana have discussed how to add value to Ghana’s cocoa and coffee.
This was after the EU Ambassador in Ghana paid a courtesy call on Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah on Friday October 7.
In a tweet after themeeting, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said “ H.E @IrchadR, Ambassador of @EuropeInGhana paid a courtesy call on me today. Among other things,we engaged extensively on adding more value to Ghanaian cocoa and coffee both by large scale processors & small scale confectionary producers.”
“Ghana and the EU will continue to align on what is in the mutual interest of our people,” he added.
The Ofoase Ayirebi lawmaker earlier welcomed news from the EU that there was no ban on cocoa from Ghana.
He described the report as ‘good news.’
“The process of improving the quality of Ghanaian cocoa should be a mutually agreed path that aligns our common interests. Good news,” he tweeted after the EU Ambassador Mr Razaarly said Europe was not banning Ghana’s cocoa.
Mr Irchad Razaarly said the EU rather wants more of Ghana’s cocoa.
Speaking at the second Edition of Orange Cocoa Day 2022 in Accra, the European Union Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaarly, said “The call for more sustainable 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 environmental 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.”
Earlier Mr Oppong Nkrumah has revealed that the Ghana Embassy in Belgium under the leadership of Ambassador Sena Boateng, has brought to the attention of the Government of Ghana that in Europe, there is a new legislation that could soon make Ghanaian cocoa and coffee unexportable to many international markets.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah further indicated that the Embassy has also commenced work on realigning Ghanaian and European interests in cocoa and coffee.
“Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire need to act quickly to secure the industry while meeting the interests of European markets else millions of households and our entire economies could be significantly affected soon.
“Thankfully, this work has started. Our task is to see it through,” the Ofoase Ayirebi lawmaker tweeted.
“Earlier this week in Brussels, I chaired a 2 day forum on ”the future of Ghanaian cocoa and coffee value chains in the face of this new EU legislation”.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana