Ghana: HPW Fresh & Dry receives support to adapt to the new EU Organic Regulation 2018/848

HPW Fresh & Dry Ltd. is a Ghanaian horticultural company created in January 2010, producing and marketing processed fruits (dried fruits, fruit bars, etc.), mainly for the European market. The company employs over 1,000 workers to run the organically certified farm and factory and sources tropical fruits from over 1,400 outgrowers, often organised in cooperatives, of which 5 are organically certified.

The new EU Organic Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/848) includes new requirements for group certification. The company requested support from COLEAD to understand the implications for their operations and to to adapt to the new requirements by the end of 2023.

In February 2023, the FFM-SPS programme provided HPW Fresh&Dry with technical assistance to help the company to comply with the new regulation. Objectives included:

1. Having a clear overview of the key changes that will impact the operations of HPW Fresh & Dry Ltd. and raising awareness among the management on these changes.
2. Assessing the impact of the key changes on the company in terms of the fixed and recurring financial cost, additional potential risks that are foreseeable with the key changes and additional capacity building needs.
3. Developing an action plan, co-created with an organic expert, detailing the various steps towards compliance with the new EU Organic Regulation by end of 2023.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market SPS programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union.

This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.