It was almost 20 years ago that Colombian cocoa was officially recognized by the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) as Cacao Fino de Aroma (fine aroma beans). Almost 95% of Colombia’s total cocoa production is classed as Cacao Fino de Aroma by the ICCO, and the country is among the 10 leading cocoa‐producing countries worldwide.
Galamsey activities have marred the environment Dr Francis Padi, Acting Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), says illegal mining, popularly called galamsey, is the biggest threat to the sustainability of the cocoa industry.
He said without illegal mining and its huge negative impact on the cocoa industry “Ghana can maintain its one million metric tonnes per year with the consistent recommendations from the research activities of the CRIG.”
The acting Director, who made this known in an interaction with Mr Sugandh Rajaram, the India High Commissioner to Ghana, indicated that cocoa diseases were another setback, but through research Ghana had progressively increased its cocoa production from 355,000 metric tonnes in the year 2000 to one-million tonnes currently.