The European Union (EU) is threatening to ban exports of Cocoa to the EU by Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire because of illegal mining.
Deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control, Dr Emmanuel Agyemang Dwomoh said the activities of illegal miners are destroying the country’s forest cover and soil which makes it practically impossible to cultivate cocoa.
He said satellite images show the devastating nature of the problem.
Speaking on day two of the National Consultative Dialogue on Illegal Mining in Accra, Dr Emmanuel Agyemang Dwomoh said Ghana currently exports about eighty percent of its Cocoa to the EU market and a ban will not augur well for the country’s cocoa industry.
Dr Dwomoh said the extension of galamsey into the country’s forest areas is of serious concern and called on participants to help address the phenomenon.
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