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Chocolate Drought

Chris Kaplan
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British chocolatier Angus Kennedy recently delivered chilling words regarding the worlds chocolate supply:

"Supplies of sustainable cocoa are set to run out, it's that simple."

The problem starts with political upheaval in the Ivory Coast disrupting the number of cocoa farmers, which is the source of nearly half the world's cocoa beans. The crop has begun to be smuggled into Ghana causing a rise in prices. Currently "chocolate makers are now facing the highest cocoa prices for more than 30 years."

Though the land is still capable of cultivating the plant, the Ivory Coast has become a "no-go" area for cocoa traders because the increasing dangers in the region make the training of new farmers impossible. This has made the sustainable and certified crop drastically depleted causing a potential "fight over the last stocks" amongst producers," and chocolate may become a high-cost luxury.

Image by Siona Watson on Flickr courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing.

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Comments

Time to source chocolate from smaller growers/makers

Submitted by James Marcos on Sun, 02/13/2011 - 13:27.
Well, while the price of the major cocoa commodities market will go up, I'm not too worried. Why? Because I source and buy from small chocolate makers who deal directly with small growers around the world, that treat them and pay even better then the "fair trade" industry. The price of cacao and chocolate is already higher AND the quality is better AND I know that the growers are Really getting a fair share. Unlike the major chocolate (candy) makers that buy at the lowest possible price. Yes, the bulk of the worlds cocoa comes from Africa, but No, the quality is quite awful (offal), even to the point of never being fermented. The biggest chocolate (candy) makers and the commodities market do not care about this. There are plenty of small chocolate makers around the world who source there cacao beans from elsewhere then Africa, usually at better quality. So don't despair - keep looking for and buying chocolate from smaller makers instead of the major candy makers! JamesMarcos

Well I'll be....

Submitted by Inin-Soi on Mon, 02/14/2011 - 21:53.
I'm just this week in negotiations to buy 2 hectares of cocoa plantation in northern Peru......looks like the timing is right....