EU flags Ghana’s pineapple exports for excessive ethephon residues
The European Union has expressed concerns over the quality of pineapple exports from Ghana, citing potential fraudulent practices. According to the January 2024 Report on EU Agri-Food Fraud Suspicions, pineapples exported to Belgium from Ghana have been found to contain excessive levels of ethephon, a plant growth regulator.
Ethephon, widely used to accelerate fruit ripening and improve yields, has a strict residue limit within the EU. The maximum permissible level for ethephon residue on pineapples is 2.0 mg/kg. However, recent imports from Ghana have been detected with residue levels of 2.4 mg/kg, surpassing the legal threshold and prompting suspicions of regulatory violations.
The EU’s agri-food fraud report underscores the importance of rigorous, risk-based controls to detect and combat deceptive practices within the agri-food supply chain. It aims to provide stakeholders with critical information to assess vulnerabilities and emerging risks, ensuring the integrity of the European food market.
Ghana’s pineapple industry, the most developed within its horticultural sector, is predominantly driven by smallholder farmers across regions such as Greater Accra, Central, Eastern, and Volta. This sector plays a pivotal role in the country’s economy, contributing over 60% of the value of non-traditional exports and providing approximately 20,000 jobs. However, the industry faces significant challenges, including pest infestations, diseases such as mealybug wilt and Phytophthora, soil fertility issues, and environmental degradation.
The specter of an EU ban looms large over Ghana’s pineapple industry. Any disruption in access to the European market could have dire consequences, threatening jobs and undermining investments. This scenario is reminiscent of the 2018 ban on Ghanaian fruit exports due to quality and standards issues, which was only lifted in 2021 after significant improvements were made.
The renewed scrutiny comes at a time when Ghanaian farmers had been buoyed by the lifting of the previous ban, leading to increased investments aimed at meeting EU standards. The latest report, however, suggests that more stringent measures and better regulatory compliance are necessary to safeguard the future of Ghana’s pineapple exports.
This issue is not isolated to Ghana alone. The report also highlights infractions from other countries, including Egypt, Uganda, and Senegal, which have faced similar challenges with meeting EU production requirements for various fruits.
The EU’s ongoing vigilance in monitoring agri-food imports underlines the critical need for exporting countries to adhere to stringent standards. Ensuring compliance is not only essential for market access but also for maintaining consumer trust and the long-term sustainability of agricultural exports.
