Precious chocolate

http://www.kafevendingmachines.co.uk/blog/2013-blog/october/precious-chocolate
Precious chocolate
Are you a convert to dark chocolate? Do the 'Milky Bar, 'Galaxy' and 'Dairy Milk' no longer figure in your cocoa quest? There has been a trend in recent years to convert to dark chocolate as a healthier option. We know that less sugar is good for us and that the higher the cocoa content, the greater the level of flavonoid antioxidants, which can help to lower blood pressure. So the dark chocolate drift is a win win situation, right? Well, in the inevitable flip side to the coin, it seems we might be using up too much of the global cocoa supply.Industry sources have been warning for the past couple of years that cocoa demand is likely to outstrip supply before many more years have gone by 2020 is cited by many as the likely tipping point. There are more factors contributing to the situation than the rise in popularity of dark chocolate of course. Another significant factor is the growth in demand of the Asian market and particularly the expanding Chinese middle class with their increased spending capacity.Cocoa is a crop that requires patience it takes 4-5 years to grow a new crop and for many farmers just isn't profitable enough to bother with. Added to that is the increase in extreme weather conditions brought about by global warming. Most of the world's cocoa is now grown in West Africa, a region that has political challenges too. Ivory Coast, for example, the world's leading cocoa producer, has experienced two long running civil wars since the turn of the millennium. Virtually all cocoa is cultivated in a zone 10° either side of the equator, so there isn't a lot of wiggle room. Global company Mars have warned that sustainability must be paramount in order to avoid a serious shortfall. They have set themselves the target of buying 100% of their cocoa from certified sources by 2020 and are committed to helping farmers to improve both their harvest and their income. Now that really would be a win win situation – chocolate for all and happy successful farmers.