In order to improve trade quality and standard in the exportation of Cocoa, Oil Palm and Cashew, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Governments of Ghana and Switzerland have launched a Global Quality and Standard Project (GQSP).
The program (GQSP) is an innovative program developed by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and UNIDO to address country-specific quality and standards compliance, capacity challenges in partner countries to facilitate market access for Small and Medium Enterprises in selected value chains.
The project is expected to strengthen the capacity of Small and Medium Enterprises to comply with market requirements along the cashew, oil palm and cocoa value chains.
Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of the new country programme to improve trade quality and standards of cashew, oil palm and cocoa exports in Accra at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel, the United Nations Industrial Development Officer for Standards and Quality Infrastructure Division Department of Trade, Investment and Innovation, Mr Juan Pablo Davila Sanchez noted that international bodies were sent down to Ghana to inspect the quality of the cocoa beans for certification.
According to Mr Juan Pablo, Ghana has been certified for meeting all international standards for quality in cocoa beans production.
Speaking on the impact the certification will have on the country, he explained that Ghana cocoa beans will have a high purchase at international market due to its quality.
Mr Juan Pablo explained that before certification, international bodies consider the capacity of procedures, the discipline in following producers to ensure the accuracy of the tests of cocoa beans.
He encouraged the cocoa industry to maintain the standard.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Ebenezer Owusu, Chairman of the Board of Quantity Control Company, said COCOBOD was the first organization to attain the accreditation in the West African Sub-region.
Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Phillip Stalder, congratulated COCOBOD, saying these accreditation is an achievement which mark a significant milestone for the Ghanaian cocoa industry.
He expressed the belief that with appropriate investment, the Ghanaian cocoa sector can do much better in the future.
He added that Switzerland will continue to support the Ghanaian cocoa industry.
Managing Director of QCC, Samuel Maxwell Nana Kakari Addo, outlined some benefits of the accreditations.
He stated it will lead to timely documentation of inspection data, adding that the accreditations have assured the global market of premium quality cocoa from Ghana.
The Board Chairman for Quality Control of Cocoa Board, Dr Ebenezer Owusu has announced that the Ghana COCOBOD is at the pick of maintaining the standard of quality cocoa beans produced in the country in order to boost the country’s economy.
He said the Government has put measures in place to increase the amount and quality of cocoa beans produce in the country.
He added that the Government has also employed more workers to test cocoa beans for the upcoming bumper harvest.
Praising the efforts being made by the COCOBOD to maintain the quality of cocoa beans, Dr Owusu said that Ghana Cocoa beans are now ranked very high across the country, revealing that Ghana Cocoa beans are used to as a benchmark to measure the quality of cocoa beans in other countries.
He said COCOBOD has a lab in Tema that test cocoa beans to compare how dried cocoa beans should look like and have put other measures in place to maintain the quality before export.
In addition to the launch of the program, UNIDO also accredited the Quality Control Company Limited (QCC with two quality certificates meant for cocoa testing and inspection :
- ISO IEC 17020
- ISO IEC 17025.
