Skip to content
Get started
Commodities

Importing cocoa beans from Ghana to the EU

Ghana is, with Cote d'Ivoire, one of the two largest cocoa origins in the world, and its beans are prized for consistent fermentation and flavour. A workable import deal turns on four things: bean grade and quality, the tariff line and ACP preference, EU deforestation due diligence (EUDR), and food safety - above all cadmium. This is a practical overview with pointers to the sources you should check before each contract.

By Hiram Trade Editorial Desk

Published

9 min read

Bean grade and quality

Ghana cocoa is marketed through a regulated system (see below) and graded on fermentation, bean size and defects:

  • fermentation and drying: well-fermented beans show the brown, cracked interior buyers want; under-fermentation gives slaty/purple beans;
  • bean count: beans per 100 g (a proxy for size); contracts state a maximum count;
  • moisture: typically specified around 7.5% maximum to avoid mould in transit;
  • defects: limits on mouldy, slaty, insect-damaged, germinated and flat beans, usually against a recognised grade (Grade I / Grade II) and the ICCO model ordinance or the contract rules of the relevant trade association.

Write the grading standard, the sampling method and the arbitration body into the contract.

Tariff code and ACP preference

Cocoa beans fall under HS heading 1801 (whole or broken, raw or roasted). Confirm the exact 8-digit code and the duty in the European Commission's Access2Markets / TARIC. As an ACP country, Ghana's beans can enter at a preferential (duty-free) rate under the EU-Ghana trade arrangement with valid proof of origin (an EUR.1 movement certificate or an origin declaration where allowed); confirm the current basis and rate in TARIC rather than assuming. See our guide to HS and CN codes.

EUDR: the rule that now dominates cocoa imports

Cocoa is one of the commodities in scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115). An operator placing cocoa on the EU market must exercise due diligence: collect the geolocation of the plots where the cocoa was grown, show the goods are deforestation-free against the 31 December 2020 cut-off, confirm they were produced legally in the origin country, and file a due diligence statement in the EU information system.

Timing (per the second postponement, Regulation (EU) 2025/2650): the rules apply from 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators and 30 June 2027 for micro and small operators. The 2025 revision also simplified obligations for downstream operators and introduces a one-time simplified declaration (Annex III, Article 4a) that is available only to micro and small primary operators - not to importers, downstream operators or traders, and not to every small company by size. A cocoa importer or downstream operator still follows the full due diligence statement path. Dates and the obligation detail have changed more than once, so always work from the current consolidated text. Build the geolocation and traceability data flow with your Ghanaian supplier now - it is the part that takes the longest. See our EUDR guide.

Food safety: cadmium, ochratoxin A and more

The EU importer is a food business operator. Key acts:

  • Regulation (EU) 2023/915 (contaminants): sets maximum levels for cadmium in cocoa and chocolate products, for ochratoxin A in cocoa powder, and for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in cocoa beans and derived products. The cadmium limits apply to finished products (for example chocolate and cocoa powder) at levels that depend on the product, so a bean buyer manages the cadmium of the beans to keep the finished product within the limit. West African beans are generally lower in cadmium than some Latin American origins, but test and document it;
  • Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 (food law and hygiene);
  • Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 (pesticide maximum residue levels);
  • Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (official controls).

Require certificates of analysis for cadmium, ochratoxin A, PAH and pesticides from an accredited laboratory. Organic cocoa falls under Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and needs an electronic certificate of inspection in TRACES.

The Ghana marketing system

Ghana's cocoa sector is regulated by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD); quality is graded and sealed by its Quality Control Company before export, and sales are handled through the Cocoa Marketing Company. Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire also apply a Living Income Differential (LID), a per-tonne premium on top of the market price intended for farmer income. Confirm current export procedures, the LID and any country-of-origin premiums with your supplier, because they affect both price and paperwork.

Documents

A typical set for a sea shipment from Ghana:

  • commercial invoice and packing list;
  • bill of lading or other transport document;
  • the COCOBOD/Quality Control Company grading certificate;
  • phytosanitary certificate;
  • proof of preferential origin (EUR.1 or an origin declaration) to claim the ACP preference;
  • the EUDR due diligence statement reference (once EUDR applies) plus the geolocation dataset;
  • certificates of analysis (cadmium, ochratoxin A, PAH, pesticides) from an accredited laboratory;
  • insurance certificate if the seller insures; pre-shipment inspection report if agreed;
  • for organic cocoa: the TRACES certificate of inspection.

Do not assume a document is or is not needed: list the documents in the contract and confirm them with your customs broker.

Logistics

PackingNotes
Jute bags (commonly ~62.5-64 kg) in a containerthe traditional pack; use a dry liner and moisture absorbers
Bulk / mega-bulk in a lined containerlower cost per tonne; condensation and taint risk

Cocoa is highly sensitive to moisture, condensation ("container rain") and odours; agree a food-grade liner, desiccant and no mixed cargo. Wooden packaging must meet ISPM 15. Plan against moisture pick-up at the humid origin and temperature swings in transit.

Incoterms for cocoa

  • Containers (the normal case): FCA terminal at the port of loading, or CPT or CIP to the destination port. Avoid FOB and CIF for containerised cargo.
  • Delivered to plant: DAP or DPU if the supplier has an EU logistics partner.

Under CIF or CIP, agree the insurance cover level explicitly. See our guide to Incoterms 2020.

Checklist before signing

  • Grade, bean count, moisture and defect limits against a named standard and arbitration body.
  • TARIC code and current duty / ACP preference confirmed in Access2Markets.
  • Preferential origin proof (EUR.1 or origin declaration) and that origin rules are met.
  • EUDR data flow agreed: geolocation, deforestation-free evidence, legality, DDS - ahead of the application date. Do not assume the simplified declaration applies to you because of company size; it covers only micro and small primary operators.
  • Cadmium, ochratoxin A, PAH and pesticide certificates of analysis from an accredited lab.
  • COCOBOD grading, LID and export procedures confirmed.
  • Food-grade liner, desiccant, ISPM 15 packaging and no-taint transport agreed.

On Hiram you can post a cocoa request with grade, quality and EUDR/food-safety requirements and compare quotes from Ghanaian and other suppliers by total landed cost. Go to the market.

Sources

This article is for information only and is not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules and rates change: check the current official sources or consult an adviser before you decide.

Related articles