The European Union (EU) has raised concerns about potential fraud in pineapple exports from Ghana to the European market.
In its January 2024 Report on EU Agri-Food Fraud Suspicions, the EU alleges that pineapples exported from Ghana to Belgium contain an overdose of ethephon. Ethephon is a plant growth regulator used to promote fruit ripening, coloration, abscission, flower induction, and other responses, including high yields.
The maximum residue limit for ethephon on pineapples in Europe is 2.0 mg/kg. However, pineapples from Ghana were detected with a residue level of 2.4 mg/kg. Imported pineapples with non-European origins are subject to this legal residue limit.
The report explains that the EU Agri-Food Fraud Suspicions’ monthly report aims to implement an official regulation that requires risk-based controls to identify and combat fraudulent and deceptive practices along agri-food chains in the EU. It also provides valuable information to stakeholders in the agri-food sector in the EU, enabling them to perform adequate vulnerability assessments and identify emerging risks.
In Ghana, the pineapple industry is the most developed horticultural sector. Pineapples are a non-traditional export crop grown mainly in the Greater Accra, Central, Eastern, and Volta Regions. The fruit is primarily cultivated by smallholder farmers and is estimated to contribute more than sixty percent of Ghana’s non-traditional export value, generating around twenty thousand jobs nationwide.
Local pineapple production faces several challenges, including pests and diseases (such as mealybug wilt disease, Phytophthora, and soil pests), weeds, soil fertility issues, harvesting and post-harvest handling methods, and environmental degradation. An EU ban on Ghanaian pineapples could jeopardize jobs and investments in the industry.
The EU previously banned fruit exports from Ghana in 2018 due to quality and standards issues. This prohibition was lifted in 2021, encouraging farmers to invest more in their farms to participate in export trade with the EU.
The report also mentions other countries, such as Egypt, Uganda, and Senegal, for various infractions. For example, oranges and strawberries produced in Egypt were noted for not meeting EU production requirements.
The allegations of suspected fraud in Ghanaian pineapple exports highlight the need for stringent quality control measures to ensure compliance with international standards and safeguard the livelihoods of local farmers.
