There is no ban on Ghanaian pineapples in Europe; exporters on their own decided to suspend shipments for 10 days to enable them to adjust to new required level of Ethrel residue in the produce, the Sea-Freight Pineapple Exporters of Ghana (SPEG) said on Tuesday.
Speaking on behalf of SPEG at a press conference in Accra, Mr. Gary D. Kilmer, Deputy Chief of Party, Amex International, a United States consulting firm, which assists players in the horticultural and agricultural industry in Ghana said, Ghana exported 40,000 tonnes of pineapple to Europe last year.
"Since the middle of July, shipments have resumed and shipments are made to EU weekly," he said. "The month of August this year recorded the highest level of pineapple exports in a month from Ghana ever." "There are all indications that this year's volume of exports would go up to about 45,000 tonnes," he said.
Mr Kilmer was responding to recent media reports to the effect that under a new initiative in the EU, termed EUREP-GAP there was a ban on pineapple export to Europe because of restrictions on the level of chemicals in the fruit.
He explained that under the EUREP-GAP initiative, which was expected to be fully effective in January, 2003, supermarket chains and leading retailers in the EU would expect suppliers of pineapple to the EU to certify and comply with a specific chemicals requirement levels in the cultivation of pineapple by the given deadline.
"Regarding the application of Ethrel, which is used to de-green pineapple to enhance its yellow colour, its maximum residue level (MRL) became effective on July 1, 2001. The MRL for Ethrel acceptable in the EU is 0.5 ppm," he said. Mr Kilmer said within the same month of July, after the MRL effective date, pineapple exports from Ghana were found to contain more Ethrel than the required level, but were allowed into the EU market and completely sold out.
He said, thereafter, Ghanaian pineapple exporters on their own, decided to suspend shipments for 10 days to enable them adjust to the new level, adding the period was also used to discuss Ethrel residue trials.
Mr Kilmer noted that Ethrel, also known as Ethephone was not a harmful chemical, saying that it was a hormone which is sprayed on pineapples ten days before they are harvested.
He said currently there were no machines for testing chemical levels in fresh foods in the country, adding that Amex, SPEG and other collaborators were making efforts to raise funds to acquire one for the country.
This he said would ensure that fresh foods from the country were tested to meet approved chemical and pesticide levels and the foods certified before they leave the shores of Ghana to the EU.
Mr. Kofi F. Asmah, Vice President of the Horticultural Association of Ghana (HAG) said this was the first time such a requirement has been put in place by an importer, adding that no importer ever asked exporters to do chemical test before shipment of exports.
He was hopeful that the EU would thoroughly dialogue with the Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) countries over their import requirements to clear all suspicions of imposition of EU policies on the ACP.
