COPAL COCOA Info



COPAL COCOA Info A Weekly Newsletter of Cocoa Producers' Alliance

| Health and Nutrition | |

|Study shows chocolate can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol |Ivory Coast Cocoa Export Ban Extended Indefinitely by Ouattara |

| |Nigeria earned N132.3b from Cocoa export in 2010 –NEPC |

|Production and Quality |Ghana will not allow Ivorian cocoa to dilute its cocoa |

|Cocoa farmers advised on fertilizer use |Barry Callebaut unfazed by Ivory Coast cocoa fears |

|Cocoa producers seek N150b bail-out fund – The Guardian |Barry Callebaut unfazed by Ivory Coast cocoa fears |

| | |

|The Market |Labour Issues |

|Cocoa May Climb in London as Unrest Heightens Risk of Shortage |Trade union says Nestlé ducking child labor issue on cocoa farms |

|Cocoa futures climb as presidential dispute persists |Hershey under fire for allegedly relying on child labour in cocoa |

|Evening markets: cocoa tumble overshadows wheat price gains |supply chain |

|Cocoa Falls on Ivory Coast Supply Speculation; Coffee Retreats | |

|SOFTS-Cocoa prices slip as Ouattara forces take key port |Environmental Issue |

|Cocoa Rebounds From 11-Week Low; Coffee Drops; Sugar Climbs | |

| | |

|Processing & Manufacturing |Research & Development |

|CPC looks outside Ghana for cocoa for its chocolates | |

|Business & Economy | |

|Ghana - Liberia venture unlikely to have major impact on cocoa |Promotion & Consumption |

|industry, Euromonitor |The People's Pharmacy: Is cocoa butter lotion safe to use as lip |

|Taskforce impounds cocoa smuggled from La Cote d' Ivoire |balm? |

| | |

| |Others |

| |EU sanctions on Ivorian cocoa exports still valid |

In the News (from Newspapers worldwide)

ICCO Daily Cocoa Prices

| |ICCO Daily Price |ICCO Daily price |London futures |New York futures |

| |(SDR/tonne) |($US/tonne) |(£/tonne) |($US/tonne) |

| | | | | |

|21st March |2351.33 |3698.76 |2323.00 |3633.33 |

| | | | | |

|22nd March |1979.02 |3128.06 |1998.67 |3071.33 |

| | | | | |

|23rd March |1934.55 |1934.55 |1949.00 |2995.67 |

| | | | | |

|24th March |1904.79 |3020.05 |1920.33 |2967.67 |

| | | | | |

|25th March |1954.37 |3090.04 |1954.00 |3038.33 |

| | | | | |

|Average |2025.00 |3199.00 |2029.00 |2029.00 |

International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE)

London Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities

(£ per tone)

|Monday |28th March |2011 |  |  |  |  |

|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |Daily High |Daily Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |2102 |2124 |13 |2134S |2101 |3,658 |

|Jul  2011 |2104 |2113 |4 |2120S |2100 |3,071 |

|Sep  2011 |2098 |2111 |4 |2119S |2098 |618 |

|Dec  2011 |2102 |2109 |5 |2115S |2102 |299 |

|Mar  2012 |2105 |2115 |4 |2119 |2105 |29 |

|May  2012 |  |2118 |4 |  |  |0 |

|Jul-12 |  |2119 |4 |  |  |0 |

|Sep-12 |  |2124 |3 |  |  |0 |

|Dec  2012 |  |2136 |4 |  |  |0 |

|Mar  2013 |  |2122 |4 |  |  |0 |

|Average/Totals |  |2119 |  |  |  |7,675 |

|Tuesday |29th March |2011 |  |  |  |  |

|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |High |Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |2110 |1997 |-127 |2114 |1994 |10,078 |

|Jul  2011 |2099 |1994 |-119 |2103 |1987 |10,154 |

|Sep  2011 |2096 |2005 |-106 |2101S |1995 |5,378 |

|Dec  2011 |2093 |2011 |-98 |2100 |2004 |2,323 |

|Mar  2012 |2100 |2023 |-92 |2104 |2015S |2,461 |

|May  2012 |2100 |2029 |-89 |2100 |2022S |397 |

|Jul-12 |2079 |2034 |-85 |2079S |2035 |756 |

|Sep-12 |2093 |2038 |-86 |2093S |2060 |412 |

|Dec  2012 |2101 |2052 |-84 |2101S |2069 |201 |

|Mar  2013 |  |2038 |-84 |  |  |0 |

|Average/Totals |  |2022 |  |  |  |32,160 |

|Wednesday |30th March |2011 |  |  |  |  |

|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |High |Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |1971 |1944 |-53 |2006 |1940 |16,949 |

|Jul  2011 |1973 |1948 |-46 |2005 |1942S |14,572 |

|Sep  2011 |1989 |1955 |-50 |2007 |1950S |4,870 |

|Dec  2011 |2000 |1960 |-51 |2012S |1951 |13,594 |

|Mar  2012 |2011 |1957 |-66 |2022 |1957 |5,368 |

|May  2012 |2007 |1966 |-63 |2026 |1968S |732 |

|Jul-12 |2012 |1970 |-64 |2012S |1974 |24 |

|Sep-12 |2011 |1981 |-57 |2011 |1981 |40 |

|Dec  2012 |  |1990 |-62 |  |  |0 |

|Mar  2013 |  |1981 |-57 |  |  |0 |

|Average/Totals |  |1965 |  |  |  |56,149 |

|Thursday |31st March |2011 |  |  |  |  |

|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |High |Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |1935 |1915 |-29 |1942 |1907 |11,634 |

|Jul  2011 |1941 |1916 |-32 |1948 |1912 |12,928 |

|Sep  2011 |1950 |1930 |-25 |1951 |1920S |4,360 |

|Dec  2011 |1953 |1945 |-15 |1961 |1929S |7,093 |

|Mar  2012 |1952 |1955 |-2 |1970S |1936S |3,087 |

|May  2012 |1965 |1962 |-4 |1973 |1946S |893 |

|Jul-12 |1972 |1966 |-4 |1972S |1951S |44 |

|Sep-12 |  |1971 |-10 |  |  |0 |

|Dec  2012 |  |1980 |-10 |  |  |0 |

|Mar  2013 |  |1971 |-10 |  |  |0 |

|Average/Totals |  |1951 |  |  |  |40,039 |

|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |High |Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |1921 |1947 |32 |1963 |1891 |6,575 |

|Jul  2011 |1921 |1950 |34 |1961 |1891 |6,436 |

|Sep  2011 |1936 |1965 |35 |1974S |1907 |3,575 |

|Dec  2011 |1939 |1983 |38 |1988 |1926 |2,115 |

|Mar  2012 |1952 |1994 |39 |1998 |1935 |2,527 |

|May  2012 |1963 |2003 |41 |1971 |1954 |63 |

|Jul-12 |1966 |2010 |44 |1977 |1966 |10 |

|Sep-12 |1971 |2014 |43 |1989 |1963S |297 |

|Dec  2012 |1972 |2023 |43 |1992 |1972S |275 |

|Mar  2013 |  |2014 |43 |  |  |0 |

|Average/Totals |  |1990 |  |  |  |

|  |  |  |  |  |157,896 |

New York Board of Trade

(New York Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities)

(US$ per tone)

|Monday |28th March |2011 |  |  |  |  |

|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |3219 |3248 |6 |3274 |3201 |6,617 |

|Jul  2011 |3221 |3251 |7 |3275 |3208 |2,869 |

|Sep  2011 |3222 |3255 |8 |3280 |3222 |1,500 |

|Dec  2011 |3236 |3251 |7 |3256 |3225 |152 |

|Mar  2012 |3280 |3278 |3 |3280 |3280 |19 |

|May  2012 |0 |3281 |3 |0 |0 |0 |

|Jul  2012 |0 |3284 |3 |0 |0 |0 |

|Sep  2012 |0 |3278 |3 |0 |0 |0 |

|Dec  2012 |0 |3289 |3 |0 |0 |0 |

|Average/Totals |  |3268 |  |  |  |11157 |

|Tuesday |29th March |2011 |  |  |  |  |

|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |3248 |3057 |-191 |3248 |3030 |19,404 |

|Jul  2011 |3265 |3062 |-189 |3265 |3035 |8,658 |

|Sep  2011 |3250 |3072 |-183 |3250 |3054 |2,840 |

|Dec  2011 |3270 |3084 |-167 |3270 |3065 |1,429 |

|Mar  2012 |3241 |3126 |-152 |3255 |3103 |433 |

|May  2012 |3141 |3117 |-164 |3144 |3114 |89 |

|Jul  2012 |0 |3117 |-167 |0 |0 |0 |

|Sep  2012 |0 |3111 |-167 |0 |0 |0 |

|Dec  2012 |3220 |3122 |-167 |3220 |3220 |1 |

|Average/Totals |  |3096 |  |  |  |32854 |

|Wednesday |30th March |2011 |  |  |  |  |

|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |3026 |2987 |-70 |3077 |2973 |17,758 |

|Jul  2011 |3035 |2997 |-65 |3083 |2982 |12,245 |

|Sep  2011 |3040 |3009 |-63 |3088 |2998 |1,866 |

|Dec  2011 |3060 |3023 |-61 |3100 |3010 |771 |

|Mar  2012 |3094 |3057 |-69 |3131 |3052 |188 |

|May  2012 |3143 |3053 |-64 |3145 |3140 |366 |

|Jul  2012 |0 |3055 |-62 |0 |0 |0 |

|Sep  2012 |0 |3049 |-62 |0 |0 |0 |

|Dec  2012 |3129 |3067 |-55 |3171 |3129 |8 |

|Average/Totals |  |3033 |  |  |  |33202 |

|Thursday |31st March |2011 |  |  |  |  |

|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |2980 |2952 |-35 |3009 |2936 |14,877 |

|Jul  2011 |2993 |2966 |-31 |3019 |2948 |8,602 |

|Sep  2011 |3010 |2980 |-29 |3034 |2963 |2,037 |

|Dec  2011 |3015 |3010 |-13 |3065 |2990 |2,667 |

|Mar  2012 |3053 |3050 |-7 |3092 |3029 |379 |

|May  2012 |3031 |3041 |-12 |3043 |3017 |188 |

|Jul  2012 |0 |3041 |-14 |0 |0 |0 |

|Sep  2012 |0 |3034 |-15 |0 |0 |0 |

|Dec  2012 |3117 |3060 |-7 |3117 |3075 |2 |

|Average/Totals |  |3015 |  |  |  |28752 |

|Friday |1st April |2011 |  |  |  |  |

|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |

|May  2011 |2952 |3011 |59 |3035 |2925 |15,024 |

|Jul  2011 |2972 |3028 |62 |3050 |2940 |10,401 |

|Sep  2011 |2988 |3044 |64 |3060 |2955 |1,722 |

|Dec  2011 |3005 |3071 |61 |3089 |2990 |1,510 |

|Mar  2012 |3040 |3110 |60 |3120 |3026 |261 |

|May  2012 |3076 |3101 |60 |3108 |3076 |56 |

|Jul  2012 |0 |3101 |60 |0 |0 |0 |

|Sep  2012 |0 |3093 |59 |0 |0 |0 |

|Dec  2012 |0 |3105 |45 |0 |0 |0 |

|Dec  2013 |0 |3105 |0 |0 |0 |0 |

|Average/Totals |  |3084 |  |  |  |28974 |

|Average for the week  |3078 |  |  |  |5268 |

|  |  |  |  |  |5268 |

News

Health and Nutrit

Study shows chocolate can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol



By Lori Corbin

March 30, 2011

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A recent Harvard study finds what many have wanted to hear for years, that cocoa offers significant health benefits due to its ability to lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol. So no surprise, chocolate manufacturers are eager to feature their chocolate as a health food.

We all love chocolate, but it's not exactly what we think of when we're visualizing healthy food. Let's indulge a little bit and see what's new with chocolate.

"If I went through all the halls, one would think that I could eat chocolate probably 67 times in the day and I'd be the healthiest person alive," said Ashley Koff, a registered dietitian.

At the annual Natural Product Expo in Anaheim, Koff and I sampled our way through countless exhibit halls looking for foods really worth sinking your teeth into. Many sell a good game, but slogans often surpass the science.

"You have to look at the ingredient label as well as the nutrition facts to understand what is going to be that quality product," said Koff.

In the case of chocolate, the extras were abundant.

"ACTICOA chocolate: that is a high flavanol chocolate. It has about three times the flavanol properties of the standard milk or dark," said Laura Bergan, marketing manager for the global chocolatier, Barry Callebaut USA LLC. "We have a dark chocolate that has probiotics. So bringing in something similar that you see in yogurt and other dairy drinks."

Barry Callebaut also created a chocolate with Stevia and Erthyritol to make candy very low in sugar yet imparting a sweet taste. Barry Callebaut is an ingredient supplier to companies you know, such as Hershey's.

Pure Organic bar offers a chocolate brownie energy bar, while Cocoawell offers chocolate in the way of cocoa nibs, raw cocoa powder to, ironically, a chocolate supplement (not sure most women would go for that one).

Justin's who makes Nut Butter singles has crossed over to dark chocolate vegan peanut butter cups. There are two to a pack but sharing is recommended.

Koff gave the candy a thumbs up, along with Sambazon's acai chocolate smoothie with 10 grams of whole food protein. There was also Dr. Sear's Cool Fuel, a chocolate milk with a boost of omega-3 fats.

They look fun but health experts remind us, whether it's chocolate or any other food, look for a balance of nutrients made with quality ingredients.

"You're going to get these claims which aren't consistent with the information that you've researched. So be smart about it," said public health expert Chris Noonan. "It's still a minefield out there to find the products that are really truly of value."

Justin's dark peanut butter cups are sold at Whole Foods for $1.79 a two-pack. Pure chocolate brownie organic bars are also out in stores.

Cocoa farmers advised on fertilizer use

Ghana Broadcasting Corporation 

March 28th, 2011

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Asikuma-Odoben Brakwa, Georgina Nkrumah Abaoh, has appealed to cocoa farmers to adhere to advice by extension officers on fertilizer use to enable them to get maximum yield. Mrs. Aboah made the appeal at a farmers rally organized by the Quality Control Division of COCOBOD at Breman Asikuma in the Central Region. She urged farmers who have benefited from the fertilizer supply to pay on time in order for others to also enjoy the facility.

The DCE expressed regret at the rate at which some cocoa purchasing companies are violating the rules and regulations governing the industry. he said it is against the law for anyone to buy wet cocoa beans and appealed to COCOBOD to put in place mechanisms to check this act. Mrs. Aboah advised farmers not to engage children as labourers on their farms.

Cocoa producers seek N150b bail-out fund – The Guardian

Nigerian Bulletin

31/03/2011

COCOA farmers and producers in the country are cashing in on the recent short supply in world cocoa supply to beef up their activities, improve on quality of yield and further penetrate international cocoa markets.

To this end, they are canvassing a special intervention fund to the tune of N150 billion to enable them expand their farms and procure necessary machinery to make them more competitive.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja at a conference , National Vice President of the Cocoa Association of Nigeria, Mr. Akin Gbadamosi said that Nigeria had the capacity to become number one cocoa producer in the world.

International Cocoa Association rates Nigeria as the fourth cocoa producer in the world. Before the Ivoirian election crisis,Cote d’Ivoire with yearly production strength of 1.2 million tonnes was rated as number one cocoa producer in the world followed by Ghana (632,000 tonnes), Indonesia (535,000 tonness) and Nigeria (240,000 tonnes).

Cocoa May Climb in London as Unrest Heightens Risk of Shortage

Bloomberg 

By Isis Almeida at Ialmeida3@

Mar 28, 2011

Ivorian workers empty bags of cocoa beans in a container at the Port of Abidjan. Photographer: Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images

Cocoa may advance in London on speculation extended unrest in the Ivory Coast, the world’s largest cocoa producer, heightens the risk of a bean shortage next season. Coffee and sugar declined.

Thousands of supporters rallied in Abidjan over the weekend in support of incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo, who has ordered cocoa exporters to ship beans or face sanctions. Rival Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognized winner of Nov. 28 presidential elections, has imposed an export ban. Cocoa supplies will exceed demand this season, according to the International Cocoa Organization.

“The market is concerned that we may tip into a deficit if a potential war affects the next main crop,” said Keith Flury, an analyst at Rabobank International in London. The Ivory Coast’s main crop usually starts in October.

Cocoa for May delivery was little changed at 2,111 pounds ($3,372) a metric ton at 11:52 a.m. on NYSE Liffe in London. Cocoa for May delivery fell $17, or 0.5 percent, to $3,225 a ton on ICE Futures U.S. in New York.

Ouattara ordered the export ban until March 31. The surplus for the current season that ends Sept. 30 is estimated at 119,000 tons, after a shortage of 66,000 tons a year earlier, the ICCO estimated on March 1.

Bigger Crop

The Ivory Coast’s crop is supposed to be 6.7 percent larger this year, helping to keep the market in surplus, according to the International Cocoa Organization. The country’s production will be 1.325 million tons, up from 1.242 million tons last year, the ICCO said.

Robusta coffee futures for May delivery dropped $16, or 0.7 percent, to $2,426 a ton in London. Robusta coffee may rise to $3,000 a ton in the next two months because supply from Vietnam, the biggest grower, will decline at a time when demand from roasters is accelerating, according to F.O. Licht analyst Stefan Uhlenbrock.

Arabica coffee for May delivery fell 3.05 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $2.6555 a pound in New York.

White, or refined, sugar futures for May delivery dropped $1.40, or 0.2 percent, to $710.40 a ton in London. Raw-sugar futures for May delivery declined 0.07 cent, or 0.3 percent, to 27.79 cents a pound on ICE. Indonesia has secured about 65,000 tons of white sugar imports for the first quarter, or about 14 percent of the 450,000-ton import quota allowed for household consumption, F.O. Licht said in a report.

Cocoa futures climb as presidential dispute persists

Daniels Trading

Mar 28, 2011

Cocoa futures are poised to increase as tumult in the world's biggest producer of the commodity suggests the likelihood of bean shortage for next season, Bloomberg reports.

Though the main cocoa crop for the Ivory Coast typically occurs in October, investors are eyeing the nation and its still un-resolved presidential election from November 2010. Supporters gathered to show support for incumbent Larent Gbagbo, who is pressing exporters to ship the commodity. Alassane Ouattara, internationally recognized as the victor, restricted exports in January as a method of cutting off funding to Gbagbo.

"The market is concerned that we may tip into a deficit if a potential war affects the next main crop," Keith Flury, an analyst at Rabobank International in London, told the news service.

At 2 p.m. on Monday, cocoa futures climbed 0.19 percent, a $6 rise to $3,248 per metric ton.

Per Ouattara's order, the ban is supposed to remain until the end of the month. But Gbagbo has sent signals that he's set to confiscate the cocoa. Many exporters are caught in the middle, stuck between the whims of two men who both think they are the president - and the other is not.

Evening markets: cocoa tumble overshadows wheat price gains



29th March 2011

Tuesday lived up to something of its reputation in Chicago for producing turnarounds. Wheat neatly regained Monday's losses.

In New York, however, it was simply a day of reversal, with cocoa slumping a staggering 5.9%, and other soft commodities lower.

Cocoa's fall to $3,057 a tonne for May delivery mirrored a 6.0% drop to £1,997 a tonne in London's May lot, also a two-month low for a spot contract.

And it was accompanied by swollen trading volumes, the highest for seven months, in contrast with the relative trickle of trades in many other agricultural commodities, ahead of key US sowings and stocks data due on Thursday.

In the charts

The excitement in cocoa was blamed on both fundamental and technical factors.

Supply hopes were raised by headway by forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara, the UN-supported claimant to presidency of Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa producer.

They were reported to have seized two key towns in the western cocoa belt, potentially opening a route to the port of San Pedro and allowing the resumption of exports, which Mr Ouattara has barred to weaken his rival, incumbent Laurent Gbagbo.

On the technical front, the bean moved down through the 100-day moving average, and was viewed by some analysts as displaying a so-called head-and-shoulders chart too.

Expect more volatility, with the bean near its 200-day moving average, and options expiry approaching.

Jurgens Bauer at PitGuru urged investors to "watch for a move that settles below $3,100 a tonne to bring $3,040-3,000 into play prior to Friday's May options expiring".

'Safer to sell'

Sticking with soft commodities, raw sugar eased, eventually, on better talk on supplies, with Thailand, the second-ranked exporter of the sweetener, reported to be potentially on track for a record 8m tonnes of production, and speculators selling out amid prospects of easier supplies.

"With the Brazilian crop approaching it seems the funds/speculators are reducing their sugar longs," Thomas Kujawa at Sucden Financial said.

"It seems to be safer to sell a rally than buy a dip at the moment," he said, adding that, technically, "it seems the bulls need to get the market above 28 cents a pound in the coming few sessions or the market will break 27 cents a pound and test the support on the recent lows".

That would be around 25.50 cents a pound. New York's benchmark May contract closed down 0.1% at 27.02 cents a pound, having spent most of the day in positive territory.

'Simply not panned out'

Grains did better than that, in the US at least, and especially wheat, which gained 1.7% to $7.37 ½ a bushel for May delivery, helped by the dismal state of winter wheat seedlings in Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma (with Kansas's poor but improved) thanks to a lack of rain which does not look like ending soon.

At Country Futures, Darrell Holaday noted how predictions of rain had "simply not panned out and now the forecasts for next week have turned warmer and drier for the southern US Plains".

US Commodities said: "The southern Plains do not have much moisture in the 10-13 day maps. This will continue to stress the hard red winter wheat crop."

In Kansas, where hard red winter wheat is traded, the May lot ended 2.2% higher at $8.67 a bushel.

'Bearish tone'

The feeling was that the gain might have been higher were it not for selling pressure on corn, which felt more icy blasts of selling amid expectations of a huge acreage number, and potentially better-than-thought stocks too, in Thursday's US plantings report from the US Department of Agriculture.

"The USDA reports are taking on a bearish tone, especially for corn," Benson Quinn Commodities said, noting talk that high prices early in the year had rationed demand, while buying "plenty of acres".

And there is more of the disappointment thing at the lack of confirmation of more (OK, technically any) Chinese purchases of US corn.

"Trade still waits confirmation of more corn sales to China with rumours they bought more corn over the weekend, with estimates for all purchases as high as 3.0m-3.5m tonnes" counting both 2010-11 and 2011-12 crop years, Benson Quinn said.

Corn ended 0.1% higher at $6.71 ¾ a bushel for May, but it was a struggle, with the lot standing 10 cents below that at one stage.

'Great opportunity for China'

Soybeans gained 1.0% to $13.63 ½ a bushel, helped by the thought that maybe they had not bought enough acres, and with, Mr Holaday said, "wet conditions in Brazil restricting harvest and reducing production".

Actually, things in Brazil are better than they were, with the harvest now potentially nearing two-thirds complete and, according to US Commodities, "ahead of the five-year average".

Any dip would be "a great opportunity for China to buy".

"The US does not have enough in stocks to be comfortable with any further old crop Chinese purchases."

Cocoa Falls on Ivory Coast Supply Speculation; Coffee Retreats

BusinessWeek

By Isis Almeida

March 30, 2011

(Bloomberg) -- Cocoa fell to the lowest level in 2 1/2 months in London on speculation disruption to supplies from the Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer, may ease soon. Coffee retreated.

Fighters loyal to Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognized winner of the West African nation’s Nov. 28 presidential election, moved closer to the commercial capital, Abidjan, where beans are exported. They have seized at least five towns this week and moved to within 240 kilometers (149 miles) of Abidjan, said Meite Sindou, spokesman for Ouattara’s prime minister and defense minister, Guillaume Soro.

“Ouattara’s supporters have now taken over control of half of the cocoa growing regions,” Commerzbank AG analyst Carsten Fritsch said in a report today. “This has led to speculation that cocoa shipments from Ivory Coast could resume again soon.”

Cocoa for May delivery slid 13 pounds, or 0.7 percent, to 1,984 pounds ($3,186) a ton at 10:03 a.m. on NYSE Liffe in London. The price fell as much as 1.4 percent to 1,969 pounds a ton, the lowest level since Jan. 14. In New York, cocoa for May delivery fell $24, or 0.8 percent, to $3,033 a ton on ICE Futures U.S. Earlier the price retreated as much as 2.1 percent to $2,993 a ton, also the lowest since Jan. 14.

Ouattara’s supporters have stepped up their military campaign in the past month, mainly in the western cocoa- producing region, taking the towns of Duekoue, Guiglo and Daloa in the past few days, Sindou said. Duekoue sits on a north-south transit corridor linking the west with the port of San Pedro.

Cocoa Supplies

Supplies from Ivory Coast have been disrupted since Ouattara imposed an export ban on Jan. 24 in a bid to cut off funds for incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo. Prices have fallen 1.6 percent in London and are little changed in New York this quarter. The ban on shipments, which has been extended twice, is set to end tomorrow.

“If the situation normalizes, we believe that prices will likely decline strongly given this year’s large West African production, which points to a market in surplus for the 2010-11 crop year,” Goldman Sachs said in a report yesterday.

Cocoa production will exceed demand by 119,000 tons in the 2010-11 season that started Oct. 1, the International Cocoa Organization said March 1.

Robusta coffee futures for May delivery dropped $18, or 0.7 percent, to $2,492 a ton in London. Arabica coffee for May delivery fell 0.25 cent, or 0.1 percent, to $2.612 a pound in New York.

White, or refined, sugar futures for May delivery fell $3.70, or 0.5 percent, to $698.80 a ton on NYSE Liffe. Raw-sugar futures for May delivery gained 0.2 percent to 27.07 cents a pound on ICE.

SOFTS-Cocoa prices slip as Ouattara forces take key port

Reuters Africa

By Nigel Hunt

Mar 31, 2011

LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) - Cocoa prices fell on Thursday as forces loyal to presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara marched into the port of San Pedro, raising the prospect the flow of supplies from the world's top producer may soon resume.

Arabica coffee futures rose as the roya fungus posed an increasing threat to crops in Colombia while sugar prices slipped as the outlook for Brazil's harvest improved.

European Union sanctions against Laurent Gbagbo, who has refused to step down since a presidential election last November which U.N.-certified results showed he lost, have helped bring exports from Ivory Coast to a virtual standstill. An EU diplomat said on Thursday that it would take "at least a few days" to exempt cocoa exports from San Pedro from the sanctions. [ID:nBRU011409]

May cocoa on ICE CCc1 fell $32 or 1.1 percent to $2,955 a tonne by 1102 GMT after touching $2,952, the lowest level for the front month since mid-January.

Prices have fallen about 9 percent since Ouattara's forces began to seize towns in the western cocoa belt early this week. "I think people are putting out the flags a bit prematurely," said Gary Mead, VM Group analyst and editor of

, adding Gbagbo still appeared to have a lot of support in the largest city, Abidjan. "Until you have Abidjan the game is not over," he added.

A final assault to remove Gbagbo from power could be a mere hours away and his choice to fight or flee may determine whether or not his country descends into a bloodbath. [ID:nLDE72U0GP] "The price should come down even more if the speed of the change is quick. If the speed of the change is not quick we could see it staying relatively high," Mead said.

For the first quarter, the front month ICE cocoa contract is heading for small loss of about 2 percent.

July cocoa on Liffe LCCc2 fell 31 pounds to 1,917 pounds a tonne. For the first quarter, the second month Liffe contract is heading for a loss of around 6 percent.

FUNGUS SPREADS

Arabica coffee prices edged up with the market slowly beginning to move higher again after suffering a major setback from a 34-year peak set earlier this month.

Dealers said the market continued to be supported by tight supplies of high quality arabica coffee, exacerbated by crop concerns in key producer Colombia.

The roya fungus infecting Colombia's coffee trees has worsened at plantations that were affected last year, and now

covers half of the country's farms, Agriculture Minister Juan Camilo Restrepo said on Wednesday. [ID:nN30139644]

ICE May arabica coffee KCc1 rose 1.45 cent or 0.55 percent to $2.6625 per lb. For the first quarter, the front month

contract is heading for a gain of about 11 percent.

Robusta coffee futures on Liffe also rose with May LCCc2 up $12 at $2,536 a tonne. For the first quarter, the second

month Liffe contract is heading for a gain of 21 percent.

Raw sugar futures on ICE were lower with the market's focus on the harvest outlook in top producer Brazil.

Telvent DTN said on Thursday that drier weather favoured the developing crop in Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais. [ID:nDTN229]

ICE May raw sugar futures SBc1 fell 0.12 cent to 27.09 cents a lb. For the first quarter, the front month contract is

heading for a loss of about 16 percent, weighed by an improving supply outlook.

"The inability of values to rise above 28 cents basis May NY has been noted and selling may appear with more confidence should we approach this level," Sucden Financial said in a report on Thursday.

"Against this, final buyers may be waiting to price below 26 cents and more heavily towards 25 cents," Sucden added.

Cocoa Rebounds From 11-Week Low; Coffee Drops; Sugar Climbs

Bloomberg

By Chris Prentice

Apr 1, 2011

Cocoa rebounded from an 11-week low as violence persisted in Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer. Coffee declined, and sugar rose.

Fighters loyal to Ivory Coast President-elect Alassane Ouattara have attacked the residence of Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to step down after a November election. Prices jumped as much as 35 percent since the vote.

“Enough questions remain about Ivory Coast to prevent more aggressive selling,” said Sterling Smith, an analyst at Country Hedging in St. Paul, Minnesota. “Traders may be factoring in long-term concerns,” as the unrest could cause infrastructure- related delays for exports, he said.

Cocoa for May delivery jumped $59, or 2 percent, to settle at $3,011 a metric ton at 12:17 p.m. on ICE Futures U.S. in New York. Earlier, the price touched $2,925, the lowest for a most- active contract since Jan. 13. The commodity dropped 7.1 percent this week.

Estimated open interest, the aggregate number of contracts outstanding, was 168,846, the highest since March 2008.

Arabica-coffee futures for May delivery dropped 4.25 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $2.599 a pound in New York. The price climbed 9.8 percent in the first quarter, the ninth straight increase.

“People may be concerned that demand will diminish” after the rally, said Fain Shaffer, the president of Infinity Trading Corp., a commodity brokerage in Medford, Oregon. “We’ll have new supplies shortly, as we are going into the Brazil harvest next month.”

Raw-sugar futures for May delivery gained 0.33 cent, or 1.2 percent, to 27.44 cents a pound in New York.

On London’s NYSE Liffe, cocoa and refined sugar advanced, while robusta coffee slumped.

CPC looks outside Ghana for cocoa for its chocolates

 

30 March 2011,

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The Cocoa Processing Company says it will have to use beans from outside Ghana in the production of its chocolates.

Managing Director, Richard Armah Tetteh explained to Joy Business the high price of the produce is making it increasingly unprofitable to use the local beans alone in production.

He said it made business sense for the company to reduce its production cost by sourcing relatively cheap cocoa beans from elsewhere.

“Worldwide nobody processes only Ghana beans and makes enough [profit] margins because” Ghana’s beans is the most expensive cocoa beans you can get anywhere in the world, he stated.

He however maintains the company will not compromise on the quality of its products.

The move is seen as some of the measures CPC is putting in place to improve its bottom-line.

It recorded yet another poor year with a loss of 12.5 million Ghana cedis for last year.

Ghana - Liberia venture unlikely to have major impact on cocoa industry, Euromonitor

 

By Helen Glaberson,

28-Mar-2011

The recent Ghana-Liberia agriculture pact is unlikely to have a major impact on the global cocoa industry; whereas Nigeria is a region to watch, according to Euromonitor.

Over the past few years Liberia has been trying to recover from 14 years of civil war by rebuilding its agricultural sector.

As part of a bid to improve the agricultural output of both countries, the governments of Ghana and the Republic of Liberia have agreed to develop, promote and implement research activities in this regard.

Euromonitor analyst Francisco Redruello told that although Liberia’s cocoa industry is doing well, tripling output to 17,000 tonnes over the last season, this still forms only two per cent of Ghana’s volume and 1.2 per cent of Ivory Coast output.

“It is a very minor producer and the impact of the agreement will be medium-term and without much significance on global trading,” said Redruello.

He said there was a stronger focus on Nigeria in terms of cocoa growth, which is expected to have a fairly decent mid-crop – around 100,000 tonnes – by late August, he said.

Crop development

Other players critical to the collaboration were the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, through its Sustainable Tree Crops Programme (STCP) and the Ghana Cocoa Board.

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and (STCP) have been running cocoa revitalisation projects in Liberia that aim to raise productivity of exports such as cocoa.

Adu-Ampomah, deputy chief executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board told that the US, through the STCP, is keen to aid Liberia. However, the country lacks cocoa-producing capacity – which is where Ghana can help.

Paula Bramel, IITA deputy director general (research for development) said: “We believe that this historical initiative will provide a vital link between the two countries to catalyze the exchange of knowledge and expertise that is needed to rehabilitate the agricultural sector especially of Liberia.”

Taskforce impounds cocoa smuggled from La Cote d' Ivoire

Ghana News Agency

March 29, 2011

Elubo (W/R),March 29, GNA — The Cocoa Anti-smuggling Taskforce operating in the Jomoro District of the Western Region, has intercepted 156 bags of cocoa beans being smuggled from Cote d'Ivoire to Ghana.

Mr Eric Asamoah, Leader of the taskforce told the Ghana News Agency at Elubo that the first consignment of 130 bags was impounded on March 4 at Ghananegua near Elubo while the second consignment of 26 cocoa bags was seized at the bank of the Tano river at Cocoa Town on March 12. Mr Asamoah said the cocoa beans had been handed over to the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Limited in Takoradi.

This brings to 237 bags intercepted by the taskforce since the beginning of the year.

Ivory Coast Cocoa Export Ban Extended Indefinitely by Ouattara

BusinessWeek

By Pauline Bax at pbax@

March 30, 2011

(Bloomberg) -- A ban on exports of cocoa and coffee beans was extended indefinitely by presidential decree, according to the government of Alassane Ouattara.

Ouattara on March 28 signed a presidential decree suspending “coffee and cocoa exports as well as the payment and the collection of related taxes and levies,” according to the decree, a copy of which was obtained by Bloomberg News today.

Sufficient cocoa on the market although possible concerns over damaged stocks, ICCO



By Helen Glaberson,

31-Mar-2011

There is still sufficient cocoa available on the market, despite political turmoil in the Ivory Coast situation, the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) said yesterday, although there are concerns over cocoa damage over long storage periods.

The suspension of cocoa exports from the Ivory Coast was extended indefinitely on March 28, by Alassane Ouattara, internationally recognized winner of the November election. Outtara is using economic sanctions against political rival Laurent Gbagbo in a bid to make him leave power.

However, Laurent Pipitone director of economics and statistics at ICCO did not express any concerns over global supply problems, explaining that in the current 2010/2011 cocoa year, the ICCO expects a supply surplus of over about 120,000 tonnes (representing about three per cent of annual demand for cocoa).

Pipitone said the “remarkable” increase in cocoa production was due to excellent weather conditions across West Africa, the largest cocoa producing region, and the impact of relatively high cocoa prices in recent years.

“With the weather favouring crop development and attractive prices encouraging better farming maintenance, large harvests are expected, and this could potentially lead to a global all-time record crop,” Pipitone added.

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He said despite the halt in Ivory Coast cocoa exports since February, significant volumes of cocoa have been harvested since then and stored at port level or up-country.

Possible storage problems

Pipitone did however say cocoa damage in the Ivory Coast could occur over long storage periods, presenting quality control challenges.

“Although it is easy to preserve the quality during the dry season, the situation gets more difficult as the coming months will be wetter, with May - July corresponding to the main rainy season,” he said.

“Cocoa can be stored for years before its quality deteriorates, as long as the storage conditions follow best known practices. However, if the storage conditions are not adequate, the quality of the cocoa would be expected to suffer,” said Pipitone. He said the second crop of the season has just started, meaning that significant volumes of cocoa will be harvested from now on.

Nigeria earned N132.3b from Cocoa export in 2010 –NEPC

Nigeria Daily Independent

By Christopher Adedeji Correspondent, Abuja

April 1st 2011

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council, (NEPC) has put the total foreign revenue earned from the export of cocoa and its products in 2010 at about $882.9 million, (about N132.3 billion) as against $662.3 in the previous year.

The Executive Director of the council, David Adulugbaa who disclosed this in Abuja at a two-day national conference on institutional capacity building on “Responsible Pesticide Use on Cocoa”, said the record accounted for about 38.5% of the non-oil export for year 2010.

The NEPC boss said the council’s desire is not only for cocoa to retain its international market share but also to expand the market through increased production of high quality cocoa and cocoa products that translate into increased revenue for the country.

Adulugba who was represented by Aliyu Lawal, a director in the Council however expressed concern over the potential international barrier against the

development of cocoa industry in country with the new legislations on Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) which has affected some consignments of cocoa beans entry into EU countries, Japan and U.S due to higher concentration of pesticide residues above the MLRs.

He recalled that over the years the misuse of pesticides which often result to negative effects on person, products, environment and livestock is now becoming worrisome given its health and economic implication to man, hence it becomes imperative to address the challenge.

While noting that the objective of the conference is to enlighten the relevant institutions, importers, marketers, the users and other stakeholders on the chemicals used as pesticide, Adulugba warned on the dangers and socio-economic implications of using both banned and harmful pesticides on cocoa and non compliance with MRLs.

According to him, the conference is apt with its theme, but however pointed out that the conference will also address the various aspects of sanitary and phyo-sanitary (SPS) measures in Nigeria cocoa, adding that non-compliance with acceptable MRLs portends threats to life, waste of resources (time, money, efforts) and danger to ecosystem. He noted that the federal government, through NEPC amongst others has continued to encourage the development and promotion of cocoa and cocoa products for the export market through its various instruments such as the non-oil incentive like the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) for cocoa and cocoa products’ exporters, capacity building along the value chain, improving infrastructural facilities, and other operational environment to make the products more competitive in the international market.

Ghana will not allow Ivorian cocoa to dilute its cocoa



1 April 2011,

Finance Minister, Kwabena Duffour says Ghana would not allow its premium brand of cocoa beans to be adulterated by produce smuggled from Ivory Coast.

There have been several reports that a lot of cocoa is being transported into Ghana because of a ban on exports by the international community as a measure to deprive incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo of badly needed funds.

Cocoa purchases for the season is said to be already nearly fifty percent more than what had been bought for the same period last year, lending credence to suggestions that produce from Ivory Coast could be a factor.

The Finance Minister however disagrees.

Speaking to the BBC’s World Business Report programme, Dr. Duffuor said the Ivorian crisis on a whole presents a major challenge to the Ghanaian economy.

This week’s arrest of a truckload of beans from Ivory Coast, meanwhile is evidence that smuggling is taking place. The Finance Minister, by the way, made it onto the very first edition of the BBC’s new business programme, World Business Report.

Barry Callebaut unfazed by Ivory Coast cocoa fears

Chicago Tribune

By Katie Reid Reuters

April 1, 2011

ZURICH (Reuters) - Barry Callebaut, which makes chocolate for Nestle and Hershey, expects to outpace the market in the second half of its fiscal year despite unrest in the top cocoa growing Ivory Coast region.

The world's largest chocolate maker topped estimates with a 9 percent rise in first-half net profit to 159 million Swiss francs ($173.4 million), while sales rose 3 percent, or 13 percent in local currencies, to 2.7 billion francs.

Barry Callebaut said it was sticking to its goal to increase sales volume by between 6 and 8 percent on average from 2009/10 through 2012/13 after growing twice as fast as the market in the first half of its fiscal year, which ended on February 28. "Barry Callebaut is confident that its good performance in the past six months will continue in the second half of fiscal year 2010/11 despite the challenging situation in Cote d'Ivoire," the group said in a statement.

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The group also said its factory in Japan had not been hit by the crisis there.

At 0918 GMT, Barry Callebaut shares were trading 2.9 percent firmer, outperforming a 0.6 percent gain in the STOXX European food and beverage index . "We believe the worst is over for Barry Callebaut with cocoa prices now sliding as the political situation in the Ivory Coast moves toward resolution," Kepler Capital Markets analyst Jon Cox said.

The global chocolate market, hit hard during the economic crisis, is slowly returning to growth as consumers indulge again in sweet treats, and Barry Callebaut is benefiting from big confectionery groups outsourcing their chocolate production.

The group has a very strong pipeline for additional outsourcing contracts, Chief Financial Officer Victor Balli told Reuters.

Chief Executive Juergen Steinemann also said in the interview the group would see additional volumes coming through in the second half thanks also to its recent deal with Kraft Foods .

The industry has also had to grapple with high raw material costs and post-election violence in major cocoa grower Ivory Coast, which supplies the world with around one third of its cocoa.

But hopes the political situation in the Ivory Coast could soon be resolved has led to an easing of cocoa prices recently.

Barry Callebaut, which said last month it had stopped exporting cocoa from the Ivory Coast, has stepped up sourcing and production in other countries, such as Brazil, Ghana, Cameroon and Malaysia to avoid supply problems. "We believe we have taken those steps necessary to enable us to honor our customer contracts and meet our commitments during 2011," Steinemann said in a statement.

Steinemann also told Reuters Barry Callebaut's factories in the Ivory Coast were still up and running and that the group would be in a strong position to start moving quickly once the when an export ban is lifted.

VOLATILE

Steinemann said it was very difficult to predict how raw material prices would develop due to volatility, which has in part been fueled by investors seeking to anticipate price movements caused by lumpy supply.

Cocoa prices on ICE rose to a 32-year high of $3,775 a ton in early March boosted by concerns that conflict in Ivory Coast could severely disrupt the flow of cocoa from West Africa.

The market has fallen back sharply, however, in the last few weeks with the decline initially driven by increased risk aversion among investors linked to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa.

The fall in prices gathered further momentum this week from perceptions that the flow of cocoa out of Ivory Coast could resume soon as forces loyal to presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara advance toward major Ivorian ports.

The European Union has imposed sanctions against his rival, presidential incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, who has refused to leave power after a disputed election.

Trade union says Nestlé ducking child labor issue on cocoa farms

World Radio Switzerland 

28 March, 2011

Child labor on cocoa farms is “nearly impossible” to end, according to Peter Brabeck, the chairman of Nestlé. His comments came in a speech to the council on foreign relations in New York. Nestlé is one of the world’s largest buyers of cocoa and a founding member of the International Cocoa Initiative, which aims to end exploitation of children in Africa. One of the organizations working with Nestlé on this issue is the IUF, a global trade union representing food workers. WRS’s Dave Goodman speaks to Sue Longley, the IUF’s agriculture coordinator, about the scope of child labor on cocoa farms in Africa. She says companies should be trying to end child labor in their supply chains and not try to duck the issue:

WRS contacted Nestlé for a response to the IUF’s comments, but was unable to reach anyone on the phone. However, Nestlé sent WRS an email highlighting the company’s commitment to ending child labour.

The email said Nestlé is “naturally concerned about working conditions in cocoa farms and is firmly committed to actions to eliminate unacceptable forms of child labor.” The firm said it has “helped to develop a series of steps to encourage the growing of cocoa in a responsible manner, together with other parts of the chocolate and cocoa industry, labour unions and NGOs.”

Hershey under fire for allegedly relying on child labour in cocoa supply chain

Procurement Leaders News 

March 31, 2011

A coalition of US pressure groups has been created to target Hershey's alleged failure to crack down on child labour in its cocoa supply chain.

Green America, Global Exchange and the International Labor Rights Forum have launched what they describe as a "brand-jamming" contest designed to bring attention to Hershey's supply chain.

Contestants are invited submit entries under three categories: Slogan/tagline, print advertisement, or video. These advertisements and slogans will be mock versions of Hershey's promotions, with prizes going to the most "creative" submissions.

Green America fair trade coordinator Elizabeth O'Connell said: "We've already had tens of thousands of US consumers participate directly in various campaigns to highlight Hershey's troubling reliance on forced and child labour in West Africa. Now, we want to get consumers directly involved in spoofing the ads of Hershey to put more heat on the company."

Global Exchange fair trade director Adrienne Fitch Frankel added: "It remains our hope that Hershey will put an end to these unconscionable labour abuses."

ILRF campaigns director Tim Newman said: "Hershey lags behind the rest of the industry in failing to have any independent, third party certification for its cocoa."

After April 10, 2011 a public vote will be taken to help determine the winner. The grand prize winner will be awarded $1000.

The People's Pharmacy: Is cocoa butter lotion safe to use as lip balm?

Online Athens 

Athens Banner-Herald

March 29, 2011

When I had knee-replacement surgery, the physical therapist recommended cocoa butter lotion with vitamin E for the scar. It worked beautifully. Since I had some left over, I began using it on my nail beds at night. This winter I had strong fingernails, no cuticle issues, and no split skin on my fingertips. Now I have begun using it instead of Vaseline on my lips at night. Is this safe?

Cocoa butter is an edible fat, so it definitely is safe to use on the lips. Since you already have used the product with vitamin E on your skin and not developed a rash, it should be safe on your lips. Some people develop contact dermatitis when vitamin E is applied to the skin.

There has long been a controversy about the benefits of vitamin E for scars. A study at the University of Pittsburgh found that a lotion containing vitamin E, hydrocortisone and silicone (Scarguard) was better than placebo (Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, May 2010). So was an onion extract gel (Mederma).

My doctor told me that my blood sugar level was one point away from requiring medication for type 2 diabetes. I was very concerned because diabetes seems to be such a chronic and painful disease. I had read about taking cinnamon to lower blood sugar levels, so I went to the health-food store and got a good-size jar of ground cinnamon. I started putting about half a teaspoon in my morning health-food drink.

To my surprise, six months later my blood sugar level is completely normal. Cinnamon worked! You are not the first person to report success with cinnamon. Although further research is needed, data in the medical literature indicate that cinnamon can lower elevated blood sugar (Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, December 2009).

In our book "Recipes and Remedies," we provide details on how to use cinnamon in coffee and oatmeal, along with foods like almonds, fenugreek, mustard, vinegar and bitter melon that help control blood sugar. Anyone who would like a copy may order online () or send $11.25 (plus $4 S&H) to Graedons' People's Pharmacy (Dept. R&R), P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.

One reader asked about wart treatments for his 7-year-old grandson. The banana-peel treatment you suggested works OK, but we found something that worked like a dream!

For two years, our 8-year-old daughter battled warts on her feet, hands, forearm and elbow. We used apple-cider vinegar and duct tape.

Apply the vinegar on a tiny piece of cotton ball, place it on the wart, cover it with duct tape and leave it on for a few days. Remove the tape and cotton ball, wash the spot with warm water and repeat if needed.

Our daughter only needed two treatments before all her warts were gone, never to return. She's been wart-free for more than a year.

There are so many wart remedies we have lost count. What works for some may not always be effective for others. Here are just a few options our readers have shared: castor oil, milkweed juice, Listerine, garlic, potato, turmeric paste and cimetidine (Tagamet). Details on each are available at .

When all else fails, a dermatologist can freeze, burn or cut warts off. Whatever treatment is used, warts sometimes come back.

This past weekend, I had terrible diarrhea. At first I assumed it was a virus, and after three days I started feeling a bit better. But the past two days my stool is almost white, like dried-up dog poop.

I have never seen this before and would like to know what could cause eggshell-colored stool. I recently started a new blood pressure medication that seems to be causing constant gas. The drug is something like hydralazine and HCTZ.

Pale poop is a warning signal and always should be brought promptly to a doctor's attention. The normal brown color comes from bile, a secretion from the liver that aids in digestion.

A white or light-colored stool suggests there could be a problem with the liver, pancreas, gallbladder (which stores bile) or bile duct that carries it to the small intestine. Your new blood pressure medicine can cause diarrhea and liver inflammation. Contact your doctor right away.

EU sanctions on Ivorian cocoa exports still valid

Reuters Africa

Mar 31, 2011

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union sanctions on Ivory Coast remain in force, including an embargo on cocoa shipments from major exporting port San Pedro, EU diplomats in Brussels said on Thursday.

Forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara -- internationally recognised as the winner of November's presidential election -- seized control of San Pedro overnight, raising hopes of a resumption in cocoa exports from the world's top producer.

"All the sanctions remain in place, including sanctions on San Pedro port ... No exemptions were foreseen in the initial list of sanctions," one EU diplomat in Brussels told Reuters.

"No such (exemption) is actually being discussed, but if that were to be the case, it would take at least four to five days to enter into force," a second diplomat said.

The EU placed sanctions on the San Pedro port authority in January which blocked its cocoa exports to Europe, in an attempt to stop presidential incumbent Laurent Gbagbo using funds from the lucrative trade to retain his grip on power.

Despite Ouattara's forces having taken swathes of territory in Ivory Coast in recent days, including in the country's western cocoa-producing belt, the EU is currently ruling out any sudden end to its sanctions on the west African state.

The quickest option to resume cocoa exports from Ivory Coast could be for Ouattara to create a new entity with a separate administrative and financial structure from the current San Pedro port authority, one of the EU diplomats said.

The EU is currently considering extending its sanctions to new entities and individuals in Ivory Coast, possibly including adding more officials to the list of people subject to EU visa bans and asset freezes.

The U.N. Security Council imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Gbagbo and his closest associates on Wednesday, with all 15 council members voting for a resolution that echoes earlier U.N. calls for Gbagbo to step down and seeking to prevent use of heavy weapons in Abidjan.

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Issue No. 433 28th March – 1st April 2011

Inside THIS ISSE:

UP-COMING EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE

• ICCO DAILY COCOA PRICES

• LONDON (LIFFE) FUTURES MARKET UPDATE

• NEW YORK (ICE) FUTURES MARKET UPDATE

• FROM THE NEWS MEDIA

• TIT BITS

Do your health a favour, drink Cocoa everyday

‘It’s nature’s miracle food’

Others

Promotion & Consumption

Research & Development

Environmental Issue

Labour Issues

Business & Economy

Processing & Manufacturing

The Market

Production & Quality

Health and Nutrition

NEWS

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