Japan Has Not Rejected Ghana’s Cocoa ─ COCOBOD

Ghana Cocoa Board has debunked reports that Japan government has rejected Ghana’s cocoa exports due to the use of prohibited chemicals.

According to the Board, an agreement was signed by the two countries on the restricted use of the 24D chemical in 2017, and stressed that Ghana has never compromised on the agreement.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Management explained that “COCOBOD attention was drawn to a 100-ton consignment to Japan in which 2, 4-D was detected in July, 2017. 2, 4-D which is an herbicide was not part of the critical chemicals being tested for, for Japanese Shipment prior to the June, 2017 encounter.

“Following the alert from CCAJ, the COCOBOD has since been working the Quality Control Company, a subsidiary of the company to working with experts from CCAJ on testing protocols for the 2, 4-D which later became part of the total testing processes before cocoa is shipped to Japan”, it said.

According to the statement, the consignment in question was not returned to Ghana as indicated in some media reports.

“It was not rejected as being alleged by the Chronicle newspaper.  COCOBOD would like to make it clear that it does not and has not given out or subscribed to the use of herbicides by cocoa farmers as a means of weeds control,” the statement read.

Ghana and Japan, according to the statement has continued to do business to the mutual benefit of both countries.

“Japan has received over 42,000 meter tons of cocoa from Ghana without any issue in respect of a breach of any of the testing protocols.

They therefore called on cocoa farmers to remain calm since there is no cause of alarm, and further entreated them to abide by the extension services offered by the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) and the Quality Control Company (QCC).

By: Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum/ thePublisher