COPAL COCOA Info
COPAL COCOA Info A Weekly Newsletter of Cocoa Producers' Alliance
| Health and Nutrition |Business & Economy |
|My morning cup |New Cocoa Varieties Needed to Secure World’s Chocolate Supply |
|A chocolate bar a day 'can cut the risk of heart disease and stroke' |Uganda: Cocoa Boom in Bundibugyo - a Tale of Gloom and Bloom |
|Chocolate and Health |Indonesia sets April cocoa export tax at 10 pct-UPDATE 1 |
|Study Says Chocolate Is Good For You |UPDATE 2-Barry Callebaut H1 profit misses poll as cocoa weighs |
|Chocolate protects heart health |Cargill Establishes New Cocoa Buying Station in Vietnam |
|Sweet! 'Chocolate Good For Your Health' | |
|Hot chocolate: The tasty treats that will work wonders in your beauty |Labour Issues |
|cabinet |Arnott's probes child labour claims |
| | |
|Production and Quality |Environmental Issue |
|African Cocoa Output may rebound after 2009-10 Dip | |
|Ivory Coast Mid-Crop Cocoa Harvest May Decline 8.6% (Update1) | |
| |Research & Development |
|The Market | |
|Cocoa Prices rise on Supply Outlook; Cotton Falls, Coffee Gains | |
| |Promotion & Consumption |
|Processing & Manufacturing | |
| | |
| |Others |
| |Ivorian heads int'l cocoa organization |
In the News (from Newspapers worldwide)
ICCO Daily Cocoa Prices
| |ICCO daily price |ICCO daily price |London futures (£/tonne) |New York futures |
| |(SDR/tonne) |($US/tonne) | |($US/tonne) |
|31st March |2108.36 |3201.00 |2252.33 |2986.33 |
|2nd April |- |- |- |- |
International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE)
London Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities
(£ per tone)
|Monday |29th March |2010 | | | | |
|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |Daily High |Daily Low |Volume |
|May 2010 |2217 |2246 |30 |2251 |2217 |3,712 |
|Jul 2010 |2239 |2264 |32 |2269 |2233S |2,618 |
|Sep 2010 |2201 |2226 |29 |2228 |2201S |728 |
|Dec 2010 |2180 |2193 |28 |2196S |2179S |46 |
|Mar 2011 |2152 |2161 |27 |2164 |2148S |126 |
|May 2011 |2144 |2156 |27 |2162 |2144S |17 |
|Jul 2011 |2137 |2158 |31 |2138 |2137S |10 |
|Sep 2011 |2142 |2153 |27 |2142 |2130 |509 |
|Dec 2011 |2148 |2151 |28 |2151 |2148 |59 |
|Mar 2012 | |2159 |28 | | |0 |
|Average/Totals | |2187 | | | |7,825 |
|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |High |Low |Volume |
|May 2010 |2252 |2262 |16 |2268 |2243 |3,698 |
|Jul 2010 |2270 |2279 |15 |2283 |2260 |2,982 |
|Sep 2010 |2238 |2237 |11 |2238 |2216 |1,136 |
|Dec 2010 |2200 |2194 |1 |2203 |2185 |691 |
|Mar 2011 |2169 |2165 |4 |2172 |2164 |985 |
|May 2011 |2167 |2163 |7 |2167 |2160 |67 |
|Jul 2011 | |2165 |7 | | |0 |
|Sep 2011 |2160 |2160 |7 |2160 |2160 |500 |
|Dec 2011 |2156 |2165 |14 |2156 |2156 |250 |
|Mar 2012 | |2173 |14 | | |0 |
|Average/Totals | |2196 | | | |10,309 |
|Wednesday |31st March |2010 | | | | |
|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |High |Low |Volume |
|May 2010 |2263 |2255 |-7 |2268 |2231 |5,705 |
|Jul 2010 |2279 |2273 |-6 |2285 |2249 |6,202 |
|Sep 2010 |2235 |2229 |-8 |2242 |2204 |675 |
|Dec 2010 |2201 |2189 |-5 |2201 |2170 |362 |
|Mar 2011 |2165 |2160 |-5 |2170 |2146 |358 |
|May 2011 |2135 |2158 |-5 |2135 |2135 |5 |
|Jul 2011 | |2160 |-5 | | |0 |
|Sep 2011 |2157 |2155 |-5 |2160 |2157 |517 |
|Dec 2011 | |2157 |-8 | | |0 |
|Mar 2012 | |2168 |-5 | | |0 |
|Average/Totals | |2190 | | | |13,824 |
|Thursday |1st April |2010 | | | | |
|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |High |Low |Volume |
|May 2010 |2251 |2251 |-4 |2273 |2242 |2,989 |
|Jul 2010 |2273 |2266 |-7 |2289 |2260 |2,521 |
|Sep 2010 |2226 |2226 |-3 |2247 |2226S |340 |
|Dec 2010 |2186 |2186 |-3 |2204S |2185 |464 |
|Mar 2011 |2167 |2156 |-4 |2169 |2155 |135 |
|May 2011 |2164 |2156 |-2 |2164 |2164 |1 |
|Jul 2011 | |2159 |-1 | | |0 |
|Sep 2011 |2160 |2154 |-1 |2160 |2160 |110 |
|Dec 2011 |2167 |2162 |5 |2167 |2165 |100 |
|Mar 2012 | |2176 |8 | | |0 |
|Average/Totals | |2189 | | | |6,660 |
|Month |Opening Trans |Settle |Change |High |Low |Volume |
|May 2010 | | | | | | |
|Jul 2010 | | | | | | |
|Sep 2010 | | | | | | |
|Dec 2010 | | | | | | |
|Mar 2011 | | | | | | |
|May 2011 | | | | | | |
|Jul 2011 | | | | | | |
|Sep 2011 | | | | | | |
|Dec 2011 | | | | | | |
|Mar 2012 | | | | | | |
|Average/Totals | |#DIV/0! | | | |
| | | | | |38,618 |
New York Board of Trade
(New York Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities)
(US$ per tone)
|Monday |29th March |2010 | | | | |
|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |
|May 2010 |2854 |2925 |71 |2932 |2854 |6,440 |
|Jul 2010 |2883 |2955 |73 |2961 |2883 |2,187 |
|Sep 2010 |2948 |2980 |73 |2985 |2948 |538 |
|Dec 2010 |2943 |3007 |73 |3009 |2943 |397 |
|Mar 2011 |2959 |3024 |68 |3022 |2959 |166 |
|May 2011 |3020 |3030 |69 |3020 |3020 |2 |
|Jul 2011 |2970 |3040 |68 |2970 |2970 |35 |
|Sep 2011 |0 |3046 |70 |0 |0 |1 |
|Dec 2011 |3042 |3066 |70 |3042 |3039 |50 |
|Average/Totals | |3008 | | | |9816 |
|Tuesday |30th March |2010 | | | | |
|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |
|May 2010 |2940 |2969 |44 |2980 |2925 |9,664 |
|Jul 2010 |2963 |3001 |46 |3010 |2963 |5,132 |
|Sep 2010 |2990 |3022 |42 |3033 |2990 |1,314 |
|Dec 2010 |3028 |3047 |40 |3058 |3027 |888 |
|Mar 2011 |3040 |3062 |38 |3071 |3040 |611 |
|May 2011 |3044 |3067 |37 |3070 |3044 |222 |
|Jul 2011 |3079 |3078 |38 |3079 |3079 |144 |
|Sep 2011 |3089 |3084 |38 |3091 |3080 |86 |
|Dec 2011 |3081 |3102 |36 |3098 |3076 |250 |
|Average/Totals | |3048 | | | |18311 |
|Wednesday |31st March |2010 | | | | |
|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |
|May 2010 |2974 |2969 |0 |2991 |2891 |9,496 |
|Jul 2010 |3000 |3003 |2 |3023 |2925 |4,618 |
|Sep 2010 |3030 |3025 |3 |3044 |2947 |1,151 |
|Dec 2010 |3058 |3053 |6 |3072 |3010 |434 |
|Mar 2011 |3075 |3068 |6 |3075 |3036 |101 |
|May 2011 |3079 |3075 |8 |3079 |3047 |27 |
|Jul 2011 |0 |3091 |13 |0 |0 |20 |
|Sep 2011 |3097 |3101 |17 |3098 |3097 |36 |
|Dec 2011 |0 |3123 |21 |0 |0 |20 |
|Average/Totals | |3056 | | | |15903 |
|Thursday |1st April |2010 | | | | |
|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |
|May 2010 |2966 |2990 |21 |3000 |2941 |10,160 |
|Jul 2010 |2994 |3023 |20 |3033 |2974 |5,848 |
|Sep 2010 |3031 |3047 |22 |3052 |3027 |1,677 |
|Dec 2010 |3065 |3075 |22 |3080 |3057 |952 |
|Mar 2011 |3092 |3090 |22 |3092 |3083 |220 |
|May 2011 |0 |3096 |21 |0 |0 |0 |
|Jul 2011 |3099 |3112 |21 |3099 |3099 |1 |
|Sep 2011 |3109 |3119 |18 |3111 |3109 |111 |
|Dec 2011 |3132 |3141 |18 |3132 |3123 |100 |
|Mar 2012 |0 |3168 |0 |0 |0 |0 |
|Average/Totals | |3086 | | | |19069 |
|Friday |2nd April |2010 | | | | |
|Month |Open |Price |Change |High |Low |Volume |
|May 2010 | | | | | | |
|Jul 2010 | | | | | | |
|Sep 2010 | | | | | | |
|Dec 2010 | | | | | | |
|Mar 2011 | | | | | | |
|May 2011 | | | | | | |
|Jul 2011 | | | | | | |
|Sep 2011 | | | | | | |
|Dec 2011 | | | | | | |
|Average/Totals | |#DIV/0! | | | |0 |
|Average for the week |#DIV/0! | | | |0 |
| | | | | |0 |
News
Health and Nutrition
My morning cup
Manila Bulletin
By JOAN SUMPIO, RND
March 29, 2010
Seldom would I know of a person who doesn’t take a hot cup of anything in the morning. The first meal of the day is usually accompanied by a hot cup of coffee, tea, or chocolate mix. While I grew up having that hot cup of coffee every morning, my husband grew up having another type of drink for breakfast, and that is his hot cup of cocoa. During his childhood, his mother has fondly boiled two pieces of that round-shaped cocoa (bought from their favorite Chinese store), and up to now, he would prefer to have that for his morning meal.
Science has backed up a lot of cocoa health benefits including its role in decreasing blood pressure (at high doses for people with mild hypertension). The cocoa component responsible for this health benefit is its flavonols – or epicatechin (the bitter and astringent compound isolated from cocoa). In a study showing the benefit of cocoa flavonols among hypertensive people, those who received 1052 mg per day of flavonols had a 5.3 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure and 3 mmHg reduction for diastolic blood pressure. With this study, it helped give a new perception that chocolates made with high amount of cocoa are no longer just for pleasure but for some target health benefits as well, as long as, it is incorporated in a well planned balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
While we try to incorporate exercise to create a healthy lifestyle, food and beverage rich in cocoa may yet play another beneficial role for our health. Cocoa flavonols are also looked into to help the blood flow to the muscles and ease demands on the heart during post-exercise periods. One study showed that after exercise, overweight and obese people had 14 percent lower blood pressure after consuming a beverage high in flavonol. With flavonol-rich beverage, the blood vessels healthy ability to relax was also increased by 6.1 percent compared to 3.4 percent of those who did not consume flavonol-rich beverage. This particular study then showed that high flavonol consumption may benefit people with cardiovascular risk factor. The mechanism through which cocoa-rich beverage can help protect against heart disease also includes the inhibition of the oxidation of "bad cholesterol" – the initial step in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Aside from prevention plaque formation, there could also be the suppression of the tendency for small blood cells to clump together and form blood clots.
The wonders of cocoa-rich beverage has stimulated a lot of scientific minds to research more on its health benefits, and one added functionality for cocoa that is being thoroughly looked into now is its effect on regulating inflammatory immune response. No wonder that cancer specialists are now trying to determine its benefits for cancer patients (a group of patients whose immune system is highly compromised).
While we can also enjoy cold cocoa beverage, taking hot cocoa beverage tends to trigger the release of more antioxidants. And if you think a bar of dark chocolate can give you the benefits of cocoa, just read the label well before consuming, as the chocolaty bar may be giving a lot of negative ingredients like plenty of sugar and saturated fat.
A chocolate bar a day 'can cut the risk of heart disease and stroke'
Telegraph.co.uk
30 Mar 2010
A chocolate bar a day can cut the risk of heart disease and stroke by as much as 39 per cent, according to scientists.
The eight-year study, of nearly 30,000 people aged 35 to 65, confirmed the results of previous, smaller studies into the health benefits of cocoa products Photo: GETTY
Cocoa beans contain flavanols, which are thought to increase nitric oxide in the blood and improve the function of blood vessels.
For the same reason, the experts found, dark chocolate is more beneficial than milk or white chocolate due to higher levels of antioxidants and cocoa.
The eight-year study, of nearly 30,000 people aged 35 to 65, confirmed the results of previous, smaller studies into the health benefits of cocoa products.
Brian Buijsse, a nutritional epidemiologist at Wageningen University in The Netherlands who co-authored the subsequent report, found that even one square of chocolate can be beneficial. But if the dose is increased by just six grams, there were 85 fewer heart attacks and strokes per 10,000 people.
However, he conceded that those who ate more cocoa products could have shared other qualities that made them healthier. And he stressed that, with 100g of chocolate containing an average of 500 calories, people should still eat it in moderation since being overweight can generate high blood pressure and heart disease.
"Given the promising health effects of cocoa, it is tempting to indulge in more chocolate," he said.
"But we should make sure we are eating as part of a healthy and balanced diet.
"Small amounts of chocolate may help to prevent heart disease, but only if it replaces other energy-dense food - such as snacks - in order to keep body weight stable."
Chocolate and Health
The Virtual Medical Centre
March 30, 2010
* Introduction to chocolate
* History of chocolate
* How is chocolate made?
* Types of chocolate
* Nutritional content of chocolate
o Nutrients derived from cocoa
* Health risks associated with consuming chocolate
* Dental health and chocolate
Introduction to chocolate
Chocolate is a food typically associated with pleasure and indulgence. It is a sugary food, high in fat and energy, which should be consumed in moderation. Many individuals consume chocolate as a treat or share chocolate at special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. Boxes of chocolates may be given as gifts on special occasions and in Australia it is common to exchange chocolate eggs to celebrate Easter.
There is considerable temptation to also buy chocolate at other times. The confectionary industry in Australia, which monitors chocolate sales, reports that some 70% of confectionary is purchased on impulse and encourage sellers to display confectionary prominently to tempt customers. Australians spend more money on chocolate confectionary products (including chocolate blocks, bars, boxes of chocolates and novelty chocolates like Easter eggs) than on other type of confectionary combined. In 2002, Australians spent $1,550 million on chocolate products (compared to $950 million and $220 million on sugar confectionary and gum).
History of chocolate
Chocolate and health The consumption of cocoa, which gives chocolate its flavour, has a long history. Since as early as 1500BC, ancient Olmec and Mayan civilisations of South America have consumed cocoa (usually as bitter, aromatic drinks) and associated cocoa with the gods.
Cocoa has been consumed in many cultures for medicinal purposes. The word ‘chocolate' (derived from the Mayan cacauatol) was coined by Spanish colonisers of South American in the 16th century and since that time chocolate preparation has changed considerably. Cocoa is now usually consumed as sweet beverages or snacks. Mass production of chocolate sweets dates back to the 1800s.
How is chocolate made?
Chocolate is made from cocoa beans which are derived from the cacao tree, a tropical rainforest plant. The cocoa tree is native to Latin America, but is now grown in other tropical areas of the world, mostly to meet the demand for chocolate production. It grows brightly colours pods of seeds, roughly the size of a football. The 30-50 seeds (sometimes called beans) contained within each pod are the key ingredients from which chocolate is made. The seeds are harvested, fermented and dried or roasted to enhance their aroma, before being heated and mixed with other ingredients (e.g. sugar, milk, cocoa butter) to make chocolate. These typically include cocoa or cocoa liquor (non-alcoholic), milk and/or milk solids, sugar and cocoa butter (or vegetable fats).
Types of chocolate
Chocolate and healthThere are many different types of chocolate, which can be broadly classified as white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate, depending on the relative proportions of cocoa and milk they contain.
White chocolate contains milk but no cocoa, while dark chocolate contains cocoa (in higher concentrations than milk chocolate) but no milk. Milk chocolate contains both milk and cocoa.
White, milk and dark chocolate can be manufactured in different ways and may therefore take different forms. For example, they may be sold as blocks of plain chocolate, as chocolate bars with additional ingredients such as nuts and wafers or as sauces or drinks.
Another means of classifying chocolate is as either block or compound chocolate. Compound chocolate, most often used for cooking, is made from cocoa and vegetables fats. Block chocolate (white, milk and dark) mixes cocoa with cocoa butter. The distinct compositions of compound compared to block chocolate have an effect on the relative proportions of saturated, mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fat levels in each (see Table 1).
Nutritional content of chocolate
Chocolate contains a variety of ingredients which contain different nutrients and affect the body's functioning in different ways. Depending on the relative proportions of cocoa, milk and other ingredients, the overall nutritional content of a bar or piece of chocolate varies considerably. For example, chocolate containing greater quantities of milk or milk solids (white or milk chocolate) has a higher calcium content, while chocolate containing greater concentrations of cocoa (dark chocolate) is higher in caffeine. Adding nuts, fruit or other ingredients to chocolate changes its nutritional composition (see Table 1). Chocolate also contains over 400 chemicals including micronutrients which protect the body and its function in various ways. These include Vitamin E, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, copper and plant chemicals.
Cocoa and cocoa butter also contains three types of fat, a monounsaturated fat known as oleic acid, and two saturated fats, stearic acid and palmitic acid. Oliec acid, like other monounsaturated forms of fat including olive oil, does not affect cholesterol levels. There is also evidence that stearic acid, despite being a saturated form of fat has a neutral effect on cholesterol. While palmitic acid (which comprises about one third of chocolate's fat content) is a saturated fat which is known to affect cholesterol levels, there is no evidence that eating chocolate raises cholesterol levels.
Please note that the values in the table are a general guide and that the nutritional value of a particular brand of chocolate may vary, depending on the relative proportions of cocoa and other ingredients and the manufacturing process used to make the chocolate.
Table 1 - Nutritional composition of chocolate (all per 100g)
[pic]
Nutrients derived from cocoa
In terms of the health benefits which may be derived from chocolate consumption (discussed below) the cocoa content is of key importance. Cocoa contains high concentrations of a powerful type of antioxidant known as polyphenols. Flavanoids, the most common subclass of polyphenols, are found in higher concentrations in chocolate than in other flavanoid rich substances (e.g. red wine). A further subclass of flavanoids, flavanols (or flavan-3-ols), are also found in particularly high quantities in cocoa.
Flavanol in chocolate is derived from its cocoa content, and thus the quantity of flavanol varies depending on the amount of cocoa in the chocolate. White chocolate does not contain cocoa and presumably contains no flavanol, while dark chocolate contains more flavanoils than milk chocolate. The flavanol content of various types of milk and dark chocolate also varies depending on the quantity of cocoa contained (some types of dark chocolate contains more cocoa than other types), the agricultural environment in which the cocoa was grown and the method used to process the chocolate. Heating of ingredients and other steps in the chocolate production process can reduce the flavanol content by as much as 90%.
The extent to which flavanol from chocolate is absorbed by the body after consumption also varies depending on the type of chocolate. Dark chocolate flavanol is absorbed more readily by the body than milk chocolate flavanol. However, this does not appear to result from the differing milk content of milk and dark chocolate.
Health risks associated with consuming chocolate
Chocolate and healthThere is no conclusive evidence linking chocolate consumption to a higher risk of any health conditions, although chocolate is widely perceived to cause migraines, acne and obesity. Evidence suggests that chocolate consumption alone cannot cause any of these health conditions. However, acne is associated with high glycaemic index diets and high intakes of refined carbohydrates, and consuming large quantities of chocolates could considerably increase the glycaemic index and refined carbohydrate content of a diet. Similarly, chocolate consumption alone does not cause obesity, which is a disease that arises from excessive calorie intake. However, consuming large quantities of chocolate can considerably increase an individual's calorie intake and may lead to weight gain and obesity, which in turn increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders including high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes and dyslipidaemia.
Dental health
Consumption of chocolate may also increase the risk of dental health problems. Dental caries (cavities) are associated with high sugar intakes, so chocolate products with high concentrations of sugar increase the risk of dental caries. There is also evidence that regular intake of chocolate can cause tooth discolouration.
Health benefits of consuming chocolate
Improved endothelial function and cardiovascular parameters and chocolate
Proposed mechanism
Chocolate and endothelial functionEvidence suggests that consuming chocolate can improve cardiovascular health by improving endothelial function, that is, by increasing the amount of nitric oxide produced by the endothelium. The endothelium is the layer of tissue which lines the inside of the arteries. It regulates the flow of blood through the arteries, by producing (or not producing) a substance called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide causes the arteries to expand to facilitate blood flow. The more nitric oxide produced by the endothelium, the more easily blood can flow through the arteries and the less likely an individual is to experience cardiovascular problems such as stroke and heart attack. This may also influence a man's erectile function and the orgasmic function of men and women, as erection and orgasm are nitric oxide dependent processes (see sexual health and chocolate).
The cardiovascular health benefits of chocolate consumption are related to the activity of the polyphenols (and particularly flavanol) found in the cocoa content of chocolate. Flavanols stimulate nitric oxide secretion and thus consumption of cocoa and flavanol-containing chocolate enhances nitric oxide secretion and widens the arteries. This in turn enhances blood flow and improves a range of cardiovascular parameters. Nitric oxide also has anti-platelet effects (meaning it protects against the formation of blood clots), anti-inflammatory and anti-atheroschlerotic effects (protects against hardening of the walls of the blood vessels).
The anti-oxidant effect of flavanols is also thought to provide cardiovascular protection. Antioxidants are compounds which scavenge and neutralise free radical molecules, or molecules which contain unpaired oxygen atoms. The unpaired oxygen atoms react with and can damage other chemical compounds and cells in the body and also reduce the production of nitric oxide (and thus impair endothelial function). Antioxidants also react with the unpaired oxygen atoms on free radical molecules, and in doing so they neutralise the oxygen atoms and prevent them from damaging the body's cells. The antioxidant effects of flavanols are thought to underlie the association between chocolate consumption and improved cholesterol. Flavanols assist in the oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDLs) which are "bad" forms of cholesterol. In doing so, they reduce blood concentrations of LDLs.
Anti-oxidants also counter the nitric oxide suppressing effects of free radical molecules and stimulate nitric oxide secretion. There is also evidence that the flavanols contained in chocolate improve glucose metabolism (and thus reduce insulin sensitivity and other markers of diabetes), by stimulating nitric acid production. Insulin sensitivity is regulated by the availability of nitric oxide concentrations.
Evidence
Endothelial function
There is considerable evidence that cocoa consumption improves endothelial function. One study in which participants consumed either dark chocolate (containing 22g of cocoa) or cocoa-free chocolate daily, reported significantly improved endothelial function (increased arterial blood flow) in the dark chocolate group. Participants who consumed the dark chocolate then tested a cocoa beverage (containing 22g of cocoa). They also experienced improved endothelial function compared to participants who drank a cocoa free beverage. Evidence shows that endothelial function improves after both short-term and long-term consumption of chocolate.
Cardiovascular disease
Chocolate and cardiovascular diseaseThere is also evidence that chocolate consumption protects against ill-health and death associated with cardiovascular disease. One large study reported that men with high cocoa intake were 50% less likely to die of cardiovascular causes than men with the low cocoa intake. Another study reported a dose-response relationship between cocoa consumption and cardiovascular mortality, meaning that the more chocolate an individual consumed, the less chance they had of dying from cardiovascular complications. Individuals who consumed chocolate more than once a week were 66% less likely to die of cardiovascular causes compared to those who never ate chocolate, while those who consumed chocolate less than once a month were 27% less likely to experience cardiovascular mortality.
Studies have also reported a protective effect regarding cardiovascular ill health. One reported that elderly individuals (aged 70-74) who consumed chocolate in the previous year were significantly less likely to have a history of cardiovascular disease compared to those who did not.
Blood pressure
There is also considerable evidence that chocolate consumption can reduce blood pressure. For example, a study of Dutch men reported that those who consumed high quantities of cocoa had lower blood pressure than those with low chocolate consumption. Another compared blood pressure in healthy individuals consuming 100 grams of dark chocolate everyday for 15 days, with blood pressure of subjects consuming 90 grams of white chocolate everyday. It reported significantly lower blood pressure amongst the dark chocolate consumers. Evidence suggests that consuming chocolate can reduce blood pressure as much as some medications used to reduce blood pressure, and chocolate consumption could reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease by 20% and 10% respectively.
Inflammatory markers
There is also some evidence that cocoa consumption reduces inflammation which contributes to vascular ill-health. For example, one study showed consumption of dark chocolate was inversely associated with c-reactive protein levels. High levels of c-reactive protein are a marker of inflammation and an indicator of coronary heart disease. However, the study found that the relationship was only present when chocolate was consumed in moderation (~20 grams of dark chocolate every three days). The association disappeared when greater quantities of dark chocolate were consumed. The authors of this study concluded that moderate consumption of dark chocolate could reduce the risk of coronary events in men by 26% and in women by 33%.
Platelet activity
Chocolate and healthEvidence that cocoa consumption positively effects platelet activity, that is reduces the risk of platelets forming clots in the blood and causing blockages in arteries, is also growing. Studies have shown that cocoa consumption can reduce platelet clotting and thin an individual's blood, in a similar way to which aspirin does.
Diabetes
Evidence also suggests that chocolate consumption can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of diabetes. A Norwegian study reported a significantly lower prevalence of diabetes amongst elderly subjects (70-74) who consumed chocolate in the previous year compared to those who did not. A study of healthy individuals (average age 34 years) reported improved insulin sensitivity in subjects who consumed polyphenol-rich dark chocolate compared to those who consumed polyphenol-free white chocolate. Insulin sensitivity improved after just 15 days of consuming 100 grams of dark chocolate per day.
Improved cholesterol
Studies have also shown that consumption of dark chocolate improves cholesterol. One study, in which healthy individuals consumed either a flavanol-enriched dark chocolate bar or a dark chocolate bar with no added flavanols, reported significant reductions in total cholesterol and LDLs (bad cholesterol) amongst flavanol-enriched chocolate consumers. As high cholesterol is a significant risk factor for heart disease, dark chocolate consumption therefore also indirectly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, by improving cholesterol.
More information on Cholesterol.
Cancer and chocolate
Proposed mechanism
The anti-oxidant properties of cocoa are thought to protect against cancer by protecting cells from oxidative damage which contributes to the growth of cancerous cells. Flavanoids in cocoa appear to interrupt the cell cycle of cancerous cells (the process through which cancerous cells replicate themselves and grow excessively to form tumours). Effectively, they impair the growth of cancerous tumours, however the way in which flavanoids exert this effect is not yet well understood.
Evidence
Evidence regarding the effect of chocolate or flavanoid consumption on cancer risk is somewhat contradictory. While test tube/laboratory studies have shown that cocoa-derived flavanoids interrupt the replication of cancer cells, there is no evidence from studies of cocoa consumption and incidence of cancer amongst humans to indicate whether or not flavanoids exert the same effect in the human body.
Cognitive performance and chocolate
Proposed mechanism
Cognitive performance and chocolateThe proposed mechanism through which increased chocolate intake improves cognitive performance is via increasing blood flow to the cerebral grey matter (grey matter in the brain which regulates sensory responses).
Evidence
Evidence suggests that elderly individuals who consume chocolate have better cognitive function than those who do not. A study of Norwegian 70-74 year olds reported that chocolate intake in the past year was associated with better performance on numerous cognitive tests. The best cognitive performance was achieved with consumption of 10 grams of chocolate per day.
Photoprotection (protection from light) and chocolate
Proposed mechanism
Photoprotection refers to protection from light. In the human body, the skin provides photoprotection by absorbing the sun's rays. This results in the production of free radical molecules (molecules with unpaired oxygen atoms which can break away and damage or alter other molecules and cells in the body). Free radical molecules can cause damage to skin cells and result in the growth of cancerous cells.
The properties of skin vary between individuals according to their genes (e.g. pigmentation of their skin) and the extent to which the skin is exposed to sunlight (e.g. use of sunscreen or a hat), and these factors influence the extent to which the skin is photoprotective. Nutritional intake is one factor affecting skin photoprotection and dietary antioxidants (including flavanols in cocoa) are thought to exert a photoprotective effect. The proposed mechanism by which they exert this effect is by reducing the sensitivity of skin cells to UV exposure.
Evidence
One study which compared the effect of UV-exposure on the skin of women who had consumed high and low flavanol cocoa drinks daily prior to UV exposure, reported increased photoprotection (reduced sunburn) and improved skin condition (greater blood flow to skin, increased skin density and hydration) amongst women who consumed the high flavanol cocoa drink.
General health and well-being and chocolate
Chocolate and healthOne study of elderly European men found that those who preferred chocolate had better general health than those who preferred other types of confectionary. For example, men who preferred chocolate were significantly less likely to be lonely or depressed and more likely to feel happy and have plans for the future. However, the mechanisms by which chocolate preference improves well-being are not well understood.
Sexual health and chocolate
Chocolate has also been proposed to have an aphrodisiac effect (increase sexual desire) because it stimulates the release of serotonin (a mood regulating hormone which also regulates blood flow) and phenylethylamine (a stimulant which regulates mood). However, there is currently limited scientific evidence to support this theory.
Chocolate may also enhance sexual response in men and women (e.g. improve erectile function and vaginal lubrication) because chocolate consumption stimulates the release of nitric oxide which plays an important role in regulating sexual function. As mentioned above, nitric oxide regulates blow flow through the arteries, and the more nitric oxide released, the more blood that flows through the arteries. As erectile function depends on increased blood flow to the penis, the availability of nitric oxide can affect a man's ability to get an erection. Nitric oxide also plays a role in regulating the movement of smooth muscles, that is, muscles which expand and contract involuntarily. Smooth muscles in the genitals of men and women are involved in genital arousal and orgasm, and thus chocolate may also affect an individual's genital arousal and orgasmic ability. However, research studies are yet to be undertaken investigating the effect of eating chocolate on sexual response.
The health benefits without the chocolate
Fruit and vegetablesWhile there is a growing body of evidence that some nutritional components of chocolate have beneficial health effects, it is important to remember that consumption of other anti-oxidant containing foods (particularly fresh fruit and vegetables) also produces these beneficial effects and individuals consuming a healthy balanced diet can obtain sufficient antioxidants without adding chocolate.
There is a risk of weight gain (and associated cardiovascular ill-health which accompanies weight gain) from increasing chocolate consumption and so chocolate should be consumed with caution.
How much and which chocolate is best consumed?
Chocolate is an energy rich food which is high in fat and sugar and the National Health and Medical Research Council recommend that such foods are consumed in moderation.
People who enjoy consuming chocolate will benefit most from dark varieties of chocolate which have cocoa or cocoa liquor listed first (and before sugar) in the ingredients. Chocolate should be consumed in small quantities (e.g. 10-15 grams per day). It is also important to bear in mind that over consumption of chocolate is likely to lead to weight gain and obesity, due to its high energy content. Individuals who wish to consume chocolate may need to reduce their calorie intake from other components of their diet, or increase their physical activity to offset the energy gained from consuming chocolate.
Healthy chocolate recipes
Dark chocolate brownie recipe Indulge in a deliciously low in fat dark chocolate brownie. Serve warm from the oven with fresh berries for a great dessert.
To get the recipe, see Dark Chocolate Brownies.
Fruit and nut chocolate slice recipe A quick and easy low fat oat slice packed with dried fruits, nuts and chocolate.
To get the recipe, see Fruit and Nut Chocolate Slice.
Study Says Chocolate Is Good For You
Sky News
Darren Little, Midlands correspondent
March 31, 2010
Chocolate is no longer a guilty pleasure, in fact it is good for you - apparently lowering blood pressure and cutting the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
An extensive study by German nutritionists has produced results many chocoholics have been dreaming of for years.
They monitored more than 19,000 people and their chocolate consumption over a decade, finding those who ate the most got the greatest benefit. The experts found eating 7.5 grams of dark chocolate could reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke by 39% and could also lead to lower blood pressure. As always though there is a catch - the most expensive, purest chocolate is the best for you. The nutritionists found dark chocolate produced the best results when it contains at least 70% cocoa.
June Davidson from the British Heart Foundation also cautioned the amount identified in the study did not offer the chance to pig out. Dark chocolate has had a lot of publicity about it being beneficial and that's due to the flavonols that are actually in the cocoa. There's some suggestion that chemical has heart-protecting effects.
June Davidson, from the British Heart Foundation
"This was a really interesting study and it found that a very small amount of chocolate actually reduced your blood pressure and your risk of heart disease.
"With it being Easter, chocolate lovers could get very excited about this report, but you really do need to read the small print about this study and it's perhaps not as good as it seems.
"The amounts of chocolate were very small - only seven grams - and that's about a square a day or about half a small easter egg spread over a whole week, so we are talking about very, very small amounts of chocolate."
Dianna Muriarriz, who runs a boutique chocolate store in Leamington Spa, said chocolate becomes fattening and higher in calories when other things are added to it. "The more natural it is, the better it is for you. So the darker the chocolate, the better it is for you."
Ms Davidson added: "Dark chocolate has had a lot of publicity in the past about it being beneficial and that's due to the flavonols that are actually in the cocoa. "There's some suggestion that chemical has heart-protecting effects." Some boutique chocolates even contain real fruit, so does that mean they count towards your five a day? I doubt it. The problem now is likely to be whether chocolate will taste as good, now that it is so good for you.
Chocolate protects heart health
TopNews Arab Emirates
By Kamilah Qasimi
31/ 03/2010
ChocolatesGerman researchers have noted in a study that people who consumed 7.5 grams of dark chocolate daily had a lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke as compared to those who ate the least amount of chocolate, an average of 1.7 grams a day.
Brian Buijsse of the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Nuthetal, who led the study, said people not stuff themselves with chocolates following these findings.
He added, "Small amounts of chocolate may help to prevent heart disease, but only if it replaces other energy-dense food, such as snacks, in order to keep body weight stable."
Researchers added that more research was needed in this field but they think the flavanols in cocoa may be the reason why chocolate is good for heart health and blood pressure. Dark chocolate is better as it will have more cocoa.
Sweet! 'Chocolate Good For Your Health'
Sky News
Darren Little, Midlands correspondent
Wednesday March 31, 2010
Chocolate is no longer a guilty pleasure, in fact it is good for you - apparently lowering blood pressure and cutting the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
An extensive study by German nutritionists has produced results many chocoholics have been dreaming of for years.
They monitored more than 19,000 people and their chocolate consumption over a decade, finding those who ate the most got the greatest benefit.
The experts found eating 7.5 grams of dark chocolate could reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke by 39% and could also lead to lower blood pressure.
As always though, there is a catch - the most expensive, purest chocolate is the best for you.
The nutritionists found dark chocolate produced the best results when it contains at least 70% cocoa.
June Davidson from the British Heart Foundation also cautioned the amount identified in the study did not offer the chance to pig out.
Dark chocolate has had a lot of publicity about it being beneficial and that's due to the flavonols that are actually in the cocoa. There's some suggestion that chemical has heart-protecting effects - June Davidson, from the British Heart Foundation
"This was a really interesting study and it found that a very small amount of chocolate actually reduced your blood pressure and your risk of heart disease.
"With it being Easter, chocolate lovers could get very excited about this report, but you really do need to read the small print about this study and it's perhaps not as good as it seems.
"The amounts of chocolate were very small - only seven grams - and that's about a square a day or about half a small Easter egg spread over a whole week, so we are talking about very, very small amounts of chocolate."
Dianna Muriarriz, who runs a boutique chocolate store in Leamington Spa, said chocolate becomes fattening and higher in calories when other things are added to it. "The more natural it is, the better it is for you. So the darker the chocolate, the better it is for you."
Ms Davidson added: "Dark chocolate has had a lot of publicity in the past about it being beneficial and that's due to the flavonols that are actually in the cocoa. "There's some suggestion that chemical has heart-protecting effects."
Some boutique chocolates even contain real fruit, so does that mean they count towards your five a day? Doubt it. The problem now is likely to be whether chocolate will taste as good, now that it is so good for you.
Hot chocolate: The tasty treats that will work wonders in your beauty cabinet
Daily Mail
By Elsa Mcalonan
01st April 2010
Who knew chocolate is so good for you? Packed with powerful antioxidants, it's the star ingredient in many skin, hair and body treatments. And if that wasn't enough, this season's hottest make-up look is all about chocolate shades for eyes, lips and nails. We've chosen some of the most delicious products around so you can enjoy chocolate without the calories this Easter
CHOCOLATE BATHING
* Philosophy Chocolate Scented Shower Gel Trio Just Because, £25.60 (Selfridges and ). Choose from dark, milk and white chocolate. This can be used as shower gel, shampoo and bubble bath.
* Or try N-Spa Indulgent Chocolate Waffle with Syrup Bath Treat, £7 (Asda). This rich, dark collection of bath syrups is the ultimate indulgence this Easter.
* EO's Nourishing Chocolate & Mint Shower Gel, £12 (forevernatural.co.uk) uses chocolate to provide key antioxidants, and peppermint to revitalise tired skin. This is a delicious showering experience that sets you up for the day.
* Funkbubble's best seller for the past five years has been its Organic Chocolate Bubble Bath, £6.15 (funk bubble.co.uk). It's thick and creamy, and perfect for an evening of indulgence.
* While you're in the bath, burn Hype Nose's Chococaine candle, £30 (020 7734 4083) which smells deliciously of rich, bitter chocolate, and is warm and comforting.
* Simply Soaps Sweet Lavender Bath Melt, £3.50 () looks exactly like a bar of white chocolate but smells of fresh lavender fields mixed with sweet cocoa butter. Break off a square and drop it into a warm bath.
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Chocolate bathing: Philosophy Chocolate Shower Gels (left) and Funkbubble's Organic
Chocolate range (right)
CHOCOLATE BODY
* Be Smooth Naked's Cocoa Butter Body Cream, £4.99 (Boots and nakedbodycare.co.uk), makes even the driest of skins feel smooth and creamy.
* Marks & Spencer Ingredients Cocoa Bean Body Butter, £6 (stores nationwide). Smooth this on after a bath or shower and you'll feel like you're being cocooned in a wave of chocolate.
* Laura Mercier's wonderful Chocolate Truffle range, which includes Creme Body Wash, £28, Honey Bath, £30, and Souffle Body Creme, £42 (Selfridges and House of Fraser) is as chocolately as it gets. It's pure indulgence, with a rich scent that will follow you all day.
* Jergens is the no-fuss natural range loved by beauty editors, and the Cocoa Butter Body Moisturiser, £4.99 (Boots, Tesco), is no exception. With its subtle aroma of chocolate, it leaves skin smooth and hydrated for hours.
* Derma Intensive Cocoa Body Butter, £1.15 (Tesco), is a great-value rich body moisturiser. Use it all over to smell irresistible, or on chapped hands for a quick chocolate fix.
Indulgence: Laura Mercier's Chocolate Truffle range
CHOCOLATE SKINCARE
* Karin Herzog Choco Cleanser, £32, and Choco 2 Treatment Cream, £59 (karinherzog.co.uk). This oilbased cleanser melts away stale make-up, including waterproof mascara, dirt and pollution to leave skin thoroughly cleansed, soft and smelling wonderful. The treatment cream is a heavy-duty moisturiser that contains 'lashings' of Swiss chocolate, with 1.2per cent oxygen, vitamins E, C and D, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sesame and avocado oils.
CHOCOLATE NAILS
* King of nails Leighton Denny has a good-enough-to-eat shade of Chocoholic in his Expert Nails collection, £11 (leightondennyexpertnails.co.uk).
* Avon Nailwear Pro Nail Enamel Deluxe Chocolate, £6 (avonshop.co.uk), is long-lasting and deliciously dark.
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Good enough to eat: The best chocolate-coloured nail polishes are by Leighton Denny and
Essie, while Ciate's White Chocolate nail polish remover removes polish gently and safely and smells great
* Mavala Nail Polish in Dark Brown, £3.95 (01732 459 412) is rich and looks fabulous on short, square nails.
* For real luxury, try Essie Chocolate Kisses Nail Polish (£8.95, ) which is a bittersweet shade of brown.
* For bargain nail colours, we love Elf Nail Polish in Chocolate, £1.50 (eyeslipsface.co.uk) and Barry M Nail Paint in Chocolate Brown £2.95 (Boots and Superdrug).
* And take it all off with Ciates's White Chocolate nail polish remover, £14 (ciate.co.uk). It removes polish gently and safely and smells great.
CHOCOLATE MAKE-UP
* Famous by Sue Moxley Lip Collection in Chocolate Box, £9 (Superdrug), is a beautiful four-colour palette of chocolate shades that will suit any colouring, and is fantastic value.
* Team it with Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil in Kenya, £17.50 (harvey nichols. co.uk), a soft, chunky eye pencil with a great smudger on the opposite end.
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Chocolate boxes: Try smouldering shades from Famous by Sue Moxley and Marks & Spencer
* Bourjois Delice de Poudre chocolate bronzer, £6.99 (Boots), looks like a bar of chocolate and actually smells like chocolate, but it contains tiny flecks of gold to give a healthy glow.
* Barry M's Dazzle Dust in Chocolate, £4.50 (Boots and Superdrug), is a delightful little pot of deep chocolatecoloured sparkle that can be used wet as eyeliner, or dry to add a glint to your eyelids.
* We also love Marks & Spencer's Autograph Twin Colour Eyeshadow in Chocolate, £7.50 (stores nationwide), which is a light and dark shade to create the perfect smouldering eyes.
* Bobbi Brown's chocolate goodies include Creamy Lip Colour in Dark Chocolate, £15.50, Lip Gloss in Chocolate, £14 and Chocolate Eye Shadow, £14.50 (bobbibrown.co.uk)
* And for a lovely doe-eyed look, try Urban Decay's Bourbon Eye Pencil, £11 ().
CHOCOLATE LIPS
* Burt's Bees Cocoa Lip Shimmer, £5.99 (burtsbees.co.uk), is a delicious chocolate colour, and gives a delicate slick of colour with a shimmering gloss.
* Boots Extracts Fairtrade Cocoa Butter Lip Balm (£3.50) is an easy-to-apply balm that conditions lips.
* C Me Blush lip tint in Chocolate Kiss by Yes to Carrots, £4.99 () gives a slick of sparkling colour while soothing and moisturising lips.
* MAD Beauty's delicious Lip Gloss Truffles, £6.99 () look exactly like real chocolates, but open to reveal delicious lip gloss in white chocolate, caramel chocolate and praline milk chocolate flavours.
* Estee Lauder's mouth-watering cosmetics include Pure Colour Lipstick in Creme Caramel (£16.50 esteelauder.co.uk).
Mouth-watering: Estee Lauder's Crème
Caramel lipstick
CHOCOLATE HAIR
* Davine's Chocolate Shampoo, £13.95, and Conditioner, £11 (cultbeauty.co.uk), is a rich shampoo and conditioner duo. Lovely to use and leaves brunettes with beautifully shiny hair.
* Daniel Galvin Jnr's Organic King of Colour Glossy Brunettes shampoo and conditioner, £4.99 each (Waitrose and danielgalvinjnr.co.uk). A gloriously gloss-giving range that contains organic cocoa beans.
CHOCOLATE TREATMENTS
* The Chocolate Body Wrap, £85 (020 7958 3212; montcalm.co.uk). The Chocolate Body Wrap lasts an hour and uses the hydrating properties of cocoa to warm and condition the body with the exfoliating properties of natural sugars. Followed by a relaxing head massage and a body massage with a warm hint of chocolate, this is a dream treat for any chocoholic.
* Wild Berry Chocolate Waxing, from £5 (ministry of ) The cult waxing salon - Ministry of Waxing - is offering all new customers 20 per cent of any treatment over the Easter holidays, using their delicious Wild Berry Chocolate Wax.
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Relaxing: The Chocolate Body Wrap uses the hydrating properties of cocoa to warm and condition the body
* Specially created in-house, this premium grade hard wax is super gentle and whisks away even the most stubborn hairs with ease and efficiency and (almost) painless results. The offer is available for one week, from tomorrow (April 2-9). To book and receive your exclusive Easter discount, call 020 7409 7343 and to see a full treatment menu, visit .
* The intensive Brazilian Chocolate and Keratin Treatment £200 from London's Eleven Hair (020 7491 2390) is a conditioning technique which penetrates the hair to repair damage and splitting. After being treated with keratin and cocoa solution, the hair is 'ironed' to seal in the keratin. The treatment lasts up to four months and takes around two-and-a-half hours.
...AND AN EASTER PARADE OF SPRING'S SWEETEST SCENTS
Harajuku Lovers Sunshine Cuties, from £14.50 (The Perfume Shop and theperfume ).
These are as decorative as any Easter egg, and with five characters to choose from you'll think you're in a sweet shop. Choose from Heart Notes, Pink Pomelo, Candied Violet, Sugared Rose and Coconut Cream.
Carolina Herrera 212 On Ice, £34 (Boots).
This new delicate and extremely feminine fragrance has fresh top notes of bergamot and grapefruit, with sensual base notes of sandalwood and musk.
Elemis Eau de Parfum, £35 (Debenhams, John Lewis and House of Fraser).
This is the first fragrance from Elemis in their 20-year history and one that has been worth waiting for. It's a clean-smelling, zesty scent that helps to clear your mind and instantly revive you. It comes in an elegant turquoise velvet bag and is perfect for refreshing spritzes on long journeys.
Prada Infusion de Tubereuse Eau de Parfum, £47.50 (0207 494 6220).
If you like rose scents but don't like them to be too cloying, this is for you. Ingredients include tuberose from India and blood orange from Italy. As with other Prada fragrances, the sharp lines of the glass bottle are based on vintage designs. The striking box is inspired by prints from their archives.
Princess by Vera Wang, from £43 (Selfridges and ).
It's hard not to fall in love with this very girly pale lilac bottle, topped with a tiara. It smells deliciously of dark chocolate combined with amber, water lily and apple.
Jo Malone's Blue Agava & Cacao cologne, from £32 and home candle, £38 (both jomalone.co.uk).
This has a rich, creamy chocolate layer on top of sparkling lime and grapefruit that makes for a great smelling scent that lasts all day.
Bsq. Natural Couture White Bergamot fragrance, £19.95 (bsquare.co.uk).
This fragrance with floral bergamot and neroli essential oils recently won the title Best New Fragrance at the UK Beauty Awards. The range contains no parabens, mineral oils, SLES, harsh preservatives, artificial colours or synthetic ethanol perfume bases.
Black Star By Avril Lavigne, £19.50 (the perfume ).
Everything about this scent is sweet, from the cute bottle to the aroma of chocolate. Sweet with notes of Black Plum but still has a bit of bite.
Production & Quality
African Cocoa Output may rebound after 2009-10 Dip
Source: Reuters
29/03/2010
Dakar, March 29 - African cocoa output may rebound from a disappointing 2009-10 season as world No. 2 producer Ghana targets big production increases to offset declines in top grower Ivory Coast. The outlook from an area that accounts for nearly two-thirds of the world's beans could pave the way for a global supply surplus next year, after fears of shortages drove cocoa futures to 30-year highs in December.
"Prices have already stabilized, and part of it is the production outlook from West Africa," said a U.S.-based cocoa analyst. "The market is also starting to focus more and more on how next year will look."
The top four African cocoa growers -- Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon -- will grow about 2.36 million tonnes combined this year from 2.42 million last year, according to official forecasts compiled by Reuters, bringing it to the lowest since the 2006-07 crop.
But output could move back up over 2.5 million tonnes over the next two years if Ghana manages to stick to a plan to raise output to 1 million tonnes by 2012, from current annual output of around 700,000 tonnes. "With Ghana kicking it up, the market may to have to deal with higher supply in the coming years," said Adam Klopfenstein, senior market strategist at MF Global's Lind-Waldock division in Chicago. "If the demand doesn't come in to soak that up we're going to see some pressure on prices."
The International Cocoa Organisation predicted earlier this month that global cocoa supplies would fall short of demand this year by some 18,000 tonnes, but anticipated a surplus next season of as much as 90,000 tonnes as farmers respond to higher prices.
Cocoa futures soared to a 30-year high over $3,000 a tonne in December before pulling back to around $2,900.
GHANA'S GROWING SHARE
The bulk of this year's decline in Africa will come from No. 1 world grower Ivory Coast, where plantations are suffering from persistent underinvestment since a 2002-03 civil war.
The West African country's representative to the ICCO said last week output during the current 2009-10 season would decline to 1.2 million tonnes from 1.223 million in the previous season due to the spread of swollen shoot disease. He added production could drop to an even 1 million tonnes in the coming years as the disease spreads. Ivory Coast's government is keen to revamp the sector amid complaints from farmers that they are not making enough money to maintain their plantations, but a lingering political crisis has slowed reform efforts.
Official output from No. 2 world cocoa grower Ghana is also executed to slip this year, to 700,000 tonnes from 710,000 tonnes, though the head of the country's marketing body said the drop would be due to smuggling keeping tonnage of the books rather than a slump in production. The country has said it is committed to its ambitious production target of 1 million tonnes of annual production within the next two years and will increase farmer incentives and encourage the use of inorganic fertilizers to raise yields.
If successful, the programme could put Ghana in the running to overtake Ivory Coast as the world's top cocoa producer and could help push regional cocoa production above 2.5 million tonnes for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
Smaller producers Nigeria and Cameroon, meanwhile, are each predicting significant increases in output during the current season, though not enough to offset the expected declines elsewhere.
Ivory Coast Mid-Crop Cocoa Harvest May Decline 8.6% (Update1)
BusinessWeek
By Monica Mark and Franz Wild
March 29, 2010
(Bloomberg) -- Cocoa production in Ivory Coast, the world’s biggest grower, may decline 8.6 percent in this year’s mid-crop season because of poor rains, spurring global prices for the commodity.
Output may drop to about 300,000 metric tons from 328,117 tons last year, said an official at the state-run Bourse de Café et du Cacao, or BCC. The official declined to be identified because the forecast hasn’t been made public yet. Harvesting of the mid-crop, the smaller of two annual harvests, begins this week and ends in September.
“The mid-crop should be quite influential in terms of setting the tone to see if we’ll see a rebound” in prices, Sudakshina Unnikrishnan, a commodities analyst at Barclays Capital in London, said in an interview yesterday. “We’re not expecting a big rebound, which should be supportive of prices.”
Cocoa futures on ICE Futures U.S. in New York have fallen 12 percent so far this year and traded at $2,892 a metric ton at 11:25 a.m. in Johannesburg. Prices have been weighed down by the dollar’s strength against the euro, which reduced demand for commodities and raw materials as a hedge against inflation. Cocoa for May delivery rose as much as 0.9 percent, or 19 pounds, to 2,235 pounds ($3,349) in London trading.
Ivory Coast accounted for 35 percent of global cocoa output last year, compared with 37 percent in the 2007-08 season, according to International Cocoa Organization data. Production in the main harvest that began in October has totaled 876,858 tons so far this season, compared with 869,071 tons a year ago, according to BCC figures.
‘Fresh Catalyst’
“The market is looking for a fresh catalyst to move out,” Unnikrishnan said. “If we see weakness of the mid-year crop numbers, the market will definitely take notice.”
Production in Ivory Coast has been hampered by low rainfall in the country’s main growing areas in the south and south-west, said farmers including Serges Pano, who owns a plantation in the eastern region of Abengourou. “The rains came too late this year,” Pano said in a phone interview on March 19. “Anyone saying it will be a good mid- crop here probably isn’t well-informed about cocoa.”
Outbreaks of swollen shoot disease also curbed output in the central regions of Bouafle and Sinfra, causing annual output to drop to 30,000 tons from 80,000 tons, according to the BCC.
The drop in production in Ivory Coast may help boost prices to more than $3,000 a ton, Michaela Kuhl, a Frankfurt-based analyst at Commerzbank AG, said in an interview. The bank issued its price forecast in an e-mailed report on March 22.
‘Price Spike’
“We’re unlikely to get as much as last year” from this season’s mid-crop, Kuhl said. “There’ll be a spike in the second quarter.”
Last year, cocoa revenue provided more than a quarter of the Ivorian economy’s export earnings, ahead of oil and coffee. Six million of Ivory Coast’s 21 million inhabitants make a living out of cocoa, according to the International Monetary Fund’s representative in the country, Philippe Egoume-Bossogo.
Long-term output is jeopardized by a lack of investment by impoverished farmers and a reorganization of the industry that has been delayed by political instability.
Ivory Coast split into a government-controlled south and a rebel-held north after a civil war in 2002. President Laurent Gbagbo said last month a peace accord signed in 2007 between the two sides has “broken down.” Presidential elections have been postponed six times since Gbagbo’s mandate expired in 2005.
Overhaul Rejected
Last month, farmers rejected plans to overhaul the industry by introducing a centralized management body linked to the presidency, demanding more independence from the state. Plans to reduce levies and fix prices for growers have also run aground. “It’s extremely important that the sector is rejuvenated to maintain a powerful cocoa economy,” Egoume-Bossogo said in an interview. “In the long run it’s worrying: the trees are old; the quality of the product needs to be improved. There are diseases which are wreaking havoc in the plantations. These things need to be dealt with immediately.”
About 17 percent of the country’s crop does not meet international quality standards, compared with 5 percent in 1999, according to the state-controlled National Management Committee of Coffee and Cocoa.
The World Bank has tied future debt relief and loans to reforms in the industry. Last year, Ivory Coast qualified for $3 billion debt relief under an IMF program for poor countries.
--With assistance from Claudia Carpenter in London and Yi Tian in New York. Editors: Paul Richardson, Antony Sguazzin.
To contact the reporters on this story: Monica Mark in Abidjan via Johannesburg at pmrichardson@; Franz Wild in Johannesburg on fwild@
The Market
Cocoa Prices rise on Supply Outlook; Cotton Falls, Coffee Gains
BusinessWeek
By Elizabeth Campbell
March 30, 2010
(Bloomberg) -- Cocoa futures rose to a five-week high on signs of reduced output in Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer, and on speculation that demand will increase as the global economy improves. Cotton fell, and coffee climbed.
Ivory Coast growers delivered 8,464 metric tons of cocoa beans to Abidjan and San Pedro ports in the week through March 21, 36 percent less than a year earlier, an industry official with access to the data said. Growers say low rainfall has hurt crops. Swollen shoot disease also has cut production, according to the state-run Bourse de Café et du Cacao.
“Supply may be somewhat reduced,” said Dennis Cajigas, a senior market strategist at Lind-Waldock in Chicago. Ivory Coast is “marginally below pace from last year,” he said. “Concerns over weather and disease suggest they may not keep pace.”
Cocoa for May delivery gained $44, or 1.5 percent, to $2,969 a ton on ICE Futures U.S. in New York, after earlier touching $2,980, the highest price since Feb. 23. The most- active contract has dropped 9.7 percent this year, heading for the first decline in three quarters.
The U.K. pound, used to trade the chocolate ingredient in London, jumped to its highest value in more than a week against the dollar after a report showed the country’s fourth-quarter economic growth was greater than previously estimated. The pound also rose after a report showed a gain in U.K. house prices this month from February.
“Aggregate demand overall may be increasing at a time when supply may be decreasing,” Cajigas said, citing gains in U.S. consumer spending.
Also on ICE, cotton for May delivery dropped 0.89 cent, or 1.1 percent, to 79.54 cents a pound. The fiber is up 5.2 percent this year, heading for a fourth straight quarterly advance.
Arabica-coffee futures for May delivery rose 0.8 cent, or 0.6 percent, to $1.3895 a pound, after earlier touching $1.39, the highest price for a most-active contract since Jan. 27. The commodity has advanced 2.2 percent this year, heading to a fifth straight quarterly increase. To contact the reporter on this story: Elizabeth Campbell in New York at ecampbell14@.
New Cocoa Varieties Needed to Secure World’s Chocolate Supply
Eurasia Review
March 30, 2010
At this time of year Easter eggs fill supermarket shelves but pests, disease and now climate change mean that future generations could miss out on enjoying this chocolate treat.
Leading the world’s fight to ensure the sustainability of cocoa production is the University of Reading. Pests and diseases already destroy about a third of potential cocoa production, and with climate change there will be a greater threat to future supplies of cocoa. With funds for a new five-year project to assess the threat climate change poses to cocoa, Reading is now in a unique position to examine all three main risks to the crop.
Cocoa production faces significant problems from increasing global temperatures and more varied rainfall. Using state-of-the-art greenhouses that simulate current and predicted climate conditions in cocoa growing regions, Reading researchers aim to help to develop new cocoa varieties better suited to likely future climates.
Cocoa is one of the most important sources of income for many countries in the humid tropics. Together, Ghana and The Ivory Coast produce nearly 70% of the world’s supply. For Ghana, where cocoa is grown by smallholder farmers, cocoa accounts for over 40% of total export revenues and two million people are involved either directly or indirectly in its production.
Professor Paul Hadley, from the University of Reading School of Biological sciences, is leading the project. He said: “There is now a broad agreement that future climate change as a result of increased greenhouse gasses and deforestation is likely to lead to challenging climatic conditions for almost all crops. Particular challenges for tropical crops are likely to include less evenly distributed rainfall patterns and higher maximum temperatures.
“With little or no research being carried out on the effects of climate change on cocoa, the new project highlights the University’s importance to the crop’s future. Cocoa not only provides pleasure to millions across the globe by giving us chocolate, but is also vital to the economies of established cocoa growing countries in West Africa which supply the UK, as well as offering potential export earnings to countries new to cocoa growing such as Vietnam and Tanzania. Our project aims to devise long term strategies that will be required to breed new cocoa varieties which are better suited to climates likely to exist in the future.”
This study highlights Reading’s status as the leading expert on research into the sustainability of cocoa. The University is home to the International Cocoa Quarantine Centre (ICQC), which handles all international movement of cocoa breeding material and is the only facility of its kind in the world. ICQC is playing a pivotal role in stopping the spread of pests and disease on cocoa, whilst ensuring that research centres worldwide have access to new and interesting types of cocoa.
The University’s International Cocoa Germplasm Database (ICGD) project was initiated in 1988 It allows cocoa breeders and researchers to find crucial information on cocoa material they are working with, not previously accessible. ICGD contains information on over 28,000 characterised trees such as disease resistance characteristics, and is at the forefront of this area f
Uganda: Cocoa Boom in Bundibugyo - a Tale of Gloom and Bloom
By Frederick Womakuyu
30 March 2010
Kampala — Semu Nderema smiles as he stands under a cocoa tree. This is the biggest cocoa harvest he has had in almost 10 years. In 1999, he had a small harvest and last year there was none. Nderema, a resident of Kikindu village in Bundibugyo district, was affected by the Allied Democratic Front war from 1999 to 2001 as well as the drought in 2009. Some residents of Kikindu walk for three days to Fort Portal to get food, while others do manual labour on people's farmers to eke a living.
Nderema sometimes takes on construction jobs to support his two wives and 20 children. When one of his wives goes to work, he tends to their 300-cocoa-tree farm as well as the children. "I harvest about seven kilos of cocoa from each tree. The rains have been consistent and the harvest good. As a result, my life has improved," the 50-year-old says. This season Nderema has harvested 2,100kg of cocoa beans. After drying them to remove the moisture, they reduce to about 1,990kg.
Cocoa booms in Bundibugyo
Edmund Bishaka, the district agriculture officer, says the district produced over 11,000 tonnes of cocoa this season and 7,000 tonnes in 2008. "This is because of the heavy and consistent rains that give cocoa enough moisture. Farmers also maintained the gardens well," he says.
Buyers grade their cocoa in two categories; conventional (where chemical fertilisers and pesticides are used) and organic (where farm yard manure is used to improve the fertility of the soil and also boost yields).
Organic cocoa fetches a higher price. A kilo of dry conventional cocoa costs sh3,500, while wet conventional cocoa costs sh2,500.
Nderema says on the world market, the price of dry cocoa beans is about $7.5 (sh15,000) per kilo. He says Scandinavians countries like Netherlands and Sweden prefer organic cocoa because they believe it is free from harmful chemicals. "I got about sh15m from my harvest. I have been able to send my children to school and I am building a permanent house," he explains.
Moses Matte, a farmer in Kikindu, says he got sh30m from cocoa sales. It has helped him start a dairy farm. "I have also opened an electrical appliance shop in Bundibugyo town from my cocoa sales," he says.
Bundibugyo is earning a lot from cocoa. Bishaka says farmers in the district make sh22b annually compared to the annual district budget of sh16m. Bishaka says the district collects sh300m annually in farmers' tax. Statistics from the district chief administrator's office indicate that from 2007 to date, the district constructed over 52 classrooms and 12 teachers' houses using revenue from cocoa. Over 200km of roads have also been maintained.
Challenges
Bishaka says cocoa growth has created severe food insecurity with over 55% of the population lacking food security. "Much of the land which would have been used to grow food crops is taken up by cocoa. It is hard to convince people to spare at least 20% of the land for food crops," says Bishaka.
A surveys in Bundibugyo reveals that a kilo of rice costs sh2,500. In Kampala, it costs about sh2,000; while a bunch of gonja or sweet bananas costs sh15,000 in Bundibugyo, and sh16,000 in Kampala. Statistics from the district planning office indicate that about 60% of the people in Bundibugyo live below the poverty line compared to the national rate of 31%.
At a function in Bundibugyo recently, Dr. Kamanda Bataringaya, the state minister for primary education, said: "As much as cocoa brings in money, it has also brought polygamy. When a man gets money from selling cocoa, he marries more women. This has increased family break-ups. Malnutrition among children is also high."
The World Food Programme (WFP) reveals that over 45% of the children in Bundibugyo are malnourished, compared to the national average of about 38%. WFP blames it on cocoa production, lack of a balanced diet and ignorance.
Education standards in Bundibugyo have also dropped. The Bundibugyo district education officer, Esau Willy Nshabiirwe, says whenever there is a cocoa harvest, almost three quarters of the children stay home. "Out of about 2,000 candidates who sat Primary Leaving Education last year, only 66 passed in first grades," he says.
History of cocoa growing
Bishaka says over-production of cocoa and subsequent troubles stem from historical problems. He says Bundibugyo was a great coffee-producing region. "But in the 1940s, the wilt disease attacked all the coffee. People lost 90% of it to the wilt, which discouraged the farmers," he explains.
The first trials of cocoa were carried out in Bundibugyo in the 1950s. When the crop did well due to its humid, dry and volcanic soil conditions, almost everybody switched to cocoa production, Bishaka says. "Cocoa prices are ever increasing and the crop is easy to grow. When you transplant cocoa from a nursery bed, all you need is to weed; you don't have to prune.
You harvest within three years," he says. Cocoa has two harvesting seasons. However, "due to weather changes, people in Bundibugyo are harvesting the crop monthly." Mukono and Hoima districts also grow cocoa. Cocoa products include chocolate and beverages.
WAY FORWARD
Edmund Bishaka, the district agriculture officer of Bundibugyo, says the district is sensitising people to devote at least 20% of their land to food crop production. "This will improve the food security and diversify people's income. If a disease affects cocoa, it means disaster." The LC3 chairman of Bubandi sub-county in Bundibugyo district, says they have set up by-laws to encourage people to grow food crops. "There is a by-law that requires every household to plant at least 25 banana stems," he says.
Bubandi sub-county speaker Aba Edison says they have set up a Police team that patrols villages to arrest parents who keep their children at home to harvest cocoa.
Indonesia sets April cocoa export tax at 10 pct-UPDATE 1
Forexyard
By Yayat Supriatna
March 31, 2010
COCOA-INDONESIA/TAX (UPDATE 1)
JAKARTA, (Reuters) - Indonesia will apply a 10 percent export tax on cocoa beans for April as it seeks to boost its domestic cocoa grindings industry, the trade ministry said in a statement. The trade ministry also set the base export price for cocoa beans -- used to calculate the export tax -- at $2,603 per tonne.
The export tax for cocoa beans in April was based on average prices of Indonesian cocoa beans shipped to the U.S. market in March at $2,900.06 per tonne, CIF basis.
Malaysia's Cocoa Manufacturers Group, whose members include cocoa grinders and who consume about 50 percent of Indonesia's cocoa beans exports, said the tax would discourage cocoa planting and lead to a fall in cocoa beans supply for grinders.
The group was responding to an earlier announcement by Indonesia that it planned to introduce an export tax on cocoa beans. "There was already deficit in the global cocoa beans production in last three consecutive years. Further reduction of cocoa beans will put the industry in serious concern," the group said in the statement.
Malaysia is Asia's largest cocoa grinder.
Based on the decree, cocoa beans will be subject to an export tax of between 0-15 percent depending on prices of cocoa exported to the United States market.
The International Cocoa Organization forecast early this month a global deficit of 18,000 tonnes of cocoa for 2009/10, against a surplus of 32,000 tonnes for 2008/09 (Oct-Sept). It was the London-based ICCO's first supply/demand balance forecast for the 2009/10 crop year.
But the global market will have a cocoa surplus of 80,000-90,000 tonnes for 2010/11 crop year, assuming normal weather, ICCO said in its first prediction for the next crop year.
The Malaysian Cocoa Board said in its statement that if cocoa manufacturers divert their purchase of cocoa beans from Indonesia and buy from other sources, then the demand as well as price for Indonesian cocoa beans will drop drastically.
Indonesia, the world's number three producer after Ivory Coast and Ghana, exports beans mostly to Malaysia, the United States and Brazil.
Indonesia's cocoa beans output is forecast to rise 2 percent to 500,000 tonnes in the crop year to September 2010 due to the limited impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon, ICCO said in its recent report.
UPDATE 2-Barry Callebaut H1 profit misses poll as cocoa weighs
Reuters
By Silke Koltrowitz
Apr 1, 2010
ZURICH, (Reuters) - Barry Callebaut (BARN.S), the world's largest chocolate maker, posted profit just below expectations for its first half as a volume pick-up in growth markets was offset by high cocoa prices and unfavourable currency effects.
The maker of chocolate for groups such as Nestle (NESN.VX) and Hershey (HSY.N) struggled with a declining global chocolate market in 2009 but registered a slight improvement between December and February, it said on Thursday. "Sweet revenue and volumes figures but a slightly bitter bottom-line," said analysts at bank Wegelin, adding that mid-term growth potential for Barry Callebaut was intact.
Shares in Barry Callebaut traded 0.5 percent higher by 0724 GMT, versus a 0.4 percent rise in the European food and beverage index .SX3P. "For the second half of the fiscal year we expect the global chocolate market to continue to slowly recover and the combined cocoa ratio to improve," Barry Callebaut said in a statement.
The combined cocoa ratio is the combined sales price for cocoa butter and cocoa powder relative to the cocoa bean price. Cocoa prices fell back in the first quarter of 2010 after ICE futures CCc1 hit a 30-year high of 3,510 dollars a tonne during December 2009. It was trading just below 3,000 dollars on Wednesday.
During the first half, net profit rose 1.6 percent or 5.3 percent in local currencies to 145.7 million Swiss francs, falling short of the average estimate of 150 million in a Reuters poll. [ID:nLDE62T10L]
Half-year sales volume rose 7.8 percent. The rebound in volume was strongest in Asia-Pacific and Americas but Europe, its biggest market, also grew 4.6 percent.
The company, which provides the food manufacturing industry with cocoa and chocolate products, coatings and cocoa powders, said it was still aiming for average volume growth of 6-8 percent over the next three years and that its operating profit should rise at least in line with this. "The confirmed targets are also positive, anything else would have been very disappointing," said Patrick Hasenboehler, an analyst at Swiss brokerage Sarasin.
Barry Callebaut's comments come after Swiss rival Lindt & Spruengli (LISP.S) said it was eyeing stronger sales this Easter as shoppers start to enjoy more sweet treats after months of abstinence during the economic downturn. [ID:nLDE62F1NR]
Lindt is aiming for an annual organic growth of 6-8 percent from 2011 onwards. U.S. rivals Kraft Foods Inc (KFT.N) and Hershey (HSY.N) have both said they are confident about their long-term growth potential. [ID:nN02159030] [ID:nN16208616]
Barry Callebaut's shares trade at nearly 13 times estimated 2011 earnings, a significant discount to Lindt & Spruengli at around 21 times, according to Thomson Reuters data. (Editing by David Cowell)
Cargill Establishes New Cocoa Buying Station in Vietnam - business
Source: Cargill, Inc.
02/04/2010
Cargill officially opened a new cocoa buying station located at National Road 14, Minh Hung Commune, Bu Dang, Binh Phuoc province. This is the third buying station the company established in Vietnam's cocoa growing areas to provide farmers with better market access for their crop. The other two buying stations are located in Ben Tre and Daklak provinces and were established in 2005.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, vice director general of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Department of Crop Production and Mr. Nguyen Van Cu, vice chairman of the People Committee of Bu Dang, participated at the opening ceremony that was hosted by Mr. Chanh Truong, country representative for Cargill in Vietnam.
Cargill is committed to provide support and expertise to local farmers to help promote best practices in cocoa growing. With the establishment of the new buying station in Binh Phuoc, Cargill will expand its farmer training and support program to transfer cocoa farming expertise and technology to farmers in Binh Phuoc and other nearby provinces.
Since 2005, more than 12,000 Vietnamese farmers have benefited from Cargill's quality training sessions to learn best practice techniques for cocoa growing, harvesting and new fermentation technologies to help them produce high-quality cocoa beans for the international market.
Cargill also established over 100 cocoa demonstration farms, co-operated with the Ministry of Science and Technology to help establish the Vietnamese cocoa standards, and collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to release approved cocoa varieties and help build up the value-chain for Vietnamese cocoa.
Labour Issues
Arnott's probes child labour claims - labour
Sydney Morning Herald
JEFF TURNBULL
March 30, 2010
Arnott's is taking steps to make sure the cocoa for its iconic Tim Tam chocolate biscuits is produced in Africa without the use of child labour. Its pledge follows a meeting with World Vision Australia chief Tim Costello on Monday for the Australian-based manufacturer to ensure its West African cocoa is from an ethical source.
"Every Australian loves Tim Tams and Mint Slices but we want to know the chocolate in these biscuits has been produced ethically," Mr Costello said.
"We're calling on Arnott's to demonstrate that it is not indirectly supporting the worst forms of child labour."
Arnott's says it is aware that child labour is used in the cocoa fields of West Africa and within six months it will have a proposal for how they would source ethical cocoa.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, about 75 per cent of the world's cocoa is sourced from West Africa.
Arnott's says a fraction - just 0.1 per cent - of its cocoa comes from West Africa. In a statement, Arnott's says it is committed to playing its part by sourcing sustainable cocoa that avoids the use of child trafficking and unacceptable forms of child labour.
A report published by the US Department of State indicated there were at least 100,000 child labourers in the Ivory Coast alone.
"Every Australian loves Tim Tams and Mint Slices but we want to know the chocolate in these biscuits has been produced ethically," Mr Costello said.
"We're calling on Arnott's to demonstrate that it is not indirectly supporting the worst forms of child labour."
Mr Costello said that last August, Interpol rescued 54 children, some as young as 10 years old, from the cocoa fields of the Ivory Coast. "These children were unpaid, forced to carry massive loads and were of seven different nationalities, indicating that they had been trafficked from neighbouring countries," Mr Costello said. He said ethical certifications, like the Fairtrade label, aimed to ensure products met agreed environmental, labour and developmental standards.
World Vision Australia's `Don't Trade Lives' campaign is calling on the global chocolate industry to guarantee farmers a fair price for their cocoa and to eliminate exploited labour from cocoa production by 2018. "The campaign has borne fruit with Cadbury's - this Easter their Dairy Milk bar for the first time is ethically-sourced," Mr Costello said.
Research & Development
Promotion & Consumption
Others
Ivorian heads int'l cocoa organization
African Manager
PANA
March 29, 2010
Ivorian Jean-Marc Anga, has been elected Executive Director of the International Cocoa Organization (ICO), for a two-year term, sources close to the 81st council meeting of the organization in Yaounde, the Cameroonian capital, told PANA.
Anga replaces Jan Vingerhoets of the Netherlands who did not ask for re-election.
Until his appointment, Anga was the ICO Director of Economic Affairs and Statistic.
TIT BITS
(Source: Business Recorder – )
Coffee and sugar ease, cocoa high
NEW YORK (March 31, 2010): Summaries of the ICE Futures US cocoa, coffee and sugar markets early on Tuesday. May arabica coffee contract eased 0.25 cent to $1.3790 per lb at 11:37 am EDT (1537 GMT). Ranging from $1.3730 to $1.3895, the highest level since January 27.
Ivory Coast cocoa output seen falling
ABIDJAN (March 31, 2010): cocoa output in top grower Ivory Coast fell below last year's levels for the first time this season as the main crop trickles to a close, according to exporter estimates obtained by Reuters on Tuesday. Production from the West African nation, which accounts for about a third of global supply, is closely watched by commodity traders after a disappointing harvest in 2008-09 drove cocoa futures to 30-year highs.
Ivory Coast farmers expect strong mid-crop
ABIDJAN (March 31, 2010): Ivory Coast's cocoa mid-crop is on track to beat last year thanks to favourable growing weather, though much depends on the amount of rain that falls in the next two months, according to a Reuters poll of 17 farmers and co-operatives managers. World cocoa markets are closely watching output from the world's top grower, which accounts for about a third of global supply, as analysts predict a global supply shortfall.
Liffe sugar ends first quarter down; coffee, cocoa up
LONDON (April 01, 2010): Liffe benchmark white sugar futures ended the quarter at $504.00 per tonne on Wednesday, down $206.20 or 29.0 percent from the end of 2009. Dealers said improving crop prospects in India had helped to send the market on a downward spiral. Liffe benchmark robusta coffee futures ended the quarter at $1,356 a tonne, up $24 or 1.8 percent from the end of 2009.
US MIDDAY: coffee and cocoa rise; sugar rebounds
NEW YORK (April 02, 2010): Summaries of the ICE Futures US cocoa, coffee and sugar markets early on Thursday. May arabica coffee contract up 1.25 cents at $1.3740 per lb at 11:15 am EDT (1515 GMT). Ranging from $1.3630 to $1.3795. Arabica coffee futures continued to consolidate in a tight range at higher levels, holding below technical resistance around $1.39, basis May, said traders.
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Issue No. 381 29th March – 2nd April 2010
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’
Processing & Manufacturing
Business and Economy
Business and Economy
Environmental Issue
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