Cocoa industry gets reprieve from EU deforestation regulation
The European Union (EU) has clarified its stance on the potential ban of Ghanaian cocoa due to deforestation concerns, alleviating fears among the country’s cocoa farmers. Legislation passed by the EU parliament in December 2020 seeks to ban certain commodities, including cocoa, coffee, soya, and beef, that have been linked to deforestation. This has been a cause for concern for Ghana, as cocoa production has been identified as the leading cause of deforestation in West Africa, responsible for two-thirds of global cocoa bean output.
Ghana exports more than 80 percent of its annual cocoa output to the European Union, and fears were that the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) would leave hundreds of thousands of smallholder cocoa farmers in Ghana destitute. However, during a recent visit to Accra, the EU Director General for International Partnerships (INTPA), Regis Meritan (PhD), clarified that the majority of cocoa from Ghana is not at risk of an EU market ban.
Dr. Meritan explained that when the implementation of the law commences in two years, it will only apply to produce from cocoa farms established after December 2020 and not those existing before. “The objective of this law in Europe is to say thanks to our law we are stopping deforestation. As for what happened before the law started, leading to deforestation, it is too late,” he underscored.
He further added, “So, what we want is to not encourage new deforestation.” This clarification by the EU is a relief for Ghana, as the country is the second-largest producer of cocoa beans globally after its neighbor Cote d’Ivoire, with more than 800,000 farmer-families accounting for its output.
Ghana’s annual production has averaged 800K metric tonnes in the last decade, with most of it exported in a raw state to the EU and other markets. The lack of local value addition capacity has left cocoa growers apprehensive, as a potential ban on Ghanaian cocoa from the EU market would inflict unimaginable hardship on them. “Even without a ban, cocoa farmers are living in squalor due to low international market and farmgate prices for our harvests,” complained Leticia Yankey, President of Cocoa Mmaa – a female-only cocoa farmer cooperative in Ghana’s Central Region.
However, Regis Meritan allayed the fears of cocoa farmers in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire regarding any adverse impact of the EUDR on their livelihoods. “I do not think the regulation on deforestation will have a major impact on your ability to continue selling your cocoa and your cocoa being imported into Europe,” Dr. Meritan assured. “I am not talking about 100 percent of your production, but I think if we are talking about 98 or 95 percent of your production, I would probably be right.”
Dr. Meritan insisted that the main problem that could happen is more likely linked to Ghana’s own legislation than this new criterion applied by the EU after 2020. Although the majority of cocoa farms in Ghana pre-date the EUDR cut-off date of December 2020, the designation of such farmlands by Ghanaian law as protected areas could be problematic.
This clarification by the EU is a welcome relief for cocoa farmers in Ghana, as they can continue to export their produce to the EU market without the risk of a ban. The EU’s move to stop deforestation and promote sustainability is commendable, and it is hoped that other countries will follow suit to ensure a sustainable future for the planet.
