Ghana receives ISO certification to determine the quality of cocoa beans exported from W/A
The Quality Control Company (QCC) under COCOBOD has received international certification from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) with support from the Swiss government to determine the quality of Cocoa beans exported from West Africa.
The ISO certification comes after years of the export of quality cocoa beans from Ghana to the world market.
The two quality certificates meant for cocoa testing and inspection are ISO IEC 17020 and ISO IEC 17025.
Eventually, this ISO certification makes the Quality Control Company the only company in the sub-region whose certification of cocoa beans is accepted globally.
“QCC has been recognized internationally for a good job in cocoa inspection and certification. It means we can be called upon to do inspection and standardization of cocoa in the sub-region,” Managing Director of the QCC, Nana Maxwell Kakari Addo spoke to Journalists.
Meanwhile, irrespective of the fact that Ivory Coast produces more cocoa to the world market, the country continues to face some cases of low quality of cocoa beans.
This phenomenon according to Nana Maxwell Kakari Addo, will be reversed as “Ghana will closely assist Ivory Coast in ensuring they meet international standards moving forward.”
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However, in related development, The leadership of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and their Ivorian counterparts on the Conseil du Café-Cacao early 2019 rejected a proposal to subscribe to ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) certification.
The authorities in charge of cocoa production in the two largest cocoa-producing countries in the world said subscribing to ISO certification will worsen the already challenged situation of their farmers.
