The European Union and Japan will begin testing Ghana’s cocoa exports for heavy metals, amid rising concerns over contamination linked to illegal mining.

Locally known as ‘galamsey,’ illegal mining has become a major environmental challenge in Ghana, polluting water bodies and degrading farmlands. The practice has increasingly encroached on cocoa farms, threatening both livelihoods and the country’s position as the world’s second-largest cocoa exporter.

The new testing regime, focusing on nickel and other heavy metals, follows growing international scrutiny of environmental degradation in cocoa-growing regions. The move threatens Ghana’s premium cocoa status, which fetches higher prices on global markets.

Speaking at a conference to finalise a strategy for responsible small-scale mining, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Randy Abbey, warned of the potentially severe impact on the country’s cocoa industry.

“The premium status of our cocoa, which gives us extra money, is under serious threat because they are starting with nickel. North America and most parts of Asia will follow shortly,” Citi News quoted him as saying.

Abbey said the new regulations would place a significant financial burden on COCOBOD, which must invest in advanced laboratories to meet the stringent standards.

“As a result of this, COCOBOD will have to spend significant amounts of money to set up state-of-the-art laboratories at the Quality Control Centre in Tema to meet the standards and test for these heavy metals. 

“The testing is no longer just for moisture and other known factors. Now, they want to test for heavy metals because of the stories and the reality of the impact of illegal mining in cocoa-growing areas,” he added.

The introduction of mandatory heavy metal testing adds to mounting pressure on Ghana to curb the environmental damage caused by illegal mining or risk losing access to lucrative export markets.

The EU’s deforestation regulation, which aims to prevent products linked to forest destruction from entering the European market, is already set to affect Ghana’s cocoa sector, making the new testing measures another layer of compliance for the West African nation.