WORLD CRISIS "Chocoholics"........

May lose their "fix" if the political unrest continues in Africa. Cocoa farmers are fleeing the country. Forty per cent of the world’s cocoa beans are grown, on the Ivory coast and political unrest has ‘significantly’ depleted the number of certified fair trade cocoa farmers.

By 2014 there is expected to be a drought in chocolate ,the world's supply could run out an expert warned yesterday. What's a chocolate person to do?
To avoid the crisis is it time for world governments step in and make new laws?
1. Making it a crime to flee a country and cause a world luxury food shortage?
2. Will they issue chocolate rationing tokens?
3. Charge an extra tax for things with chocolate in it?
4. Have your chocolate purchases' on your income tax?
5. Set up chocolate rehab centers?
6. Require a socialized medicine doctor to issue a prescription for milligrams of chocolate per month?
7. Will there be a special tax exemption if you don't buy chocolate?


How will it affect Valentine's Day?

Mother's Day?

And what about Halloween?

I can visualize it now everyone worldwide will be forced to forgo chocolate for gift giving. I will even impinge on Christmas, no more chocolate Santa's. Easter no more chocolate eggs or bunnies. OH!!! What an opportunity for governments "You don't ever want a crisis to go to waste; it's an opportunity to do important things that you would otherwise avoid". It could be a campaigne promise in the 2012 Presidential election. BE
Source:
Fair-trade training programmers have ground to a halt because of the danger farmers face in rural areas.
It is already affecting chocolate manufacturers, who are facing the highest cocoa prices in over 30 years.
Prices went 10 per cent this month alone. Analysts are predicting they could soon hit $3,720 per metric tonne - a level last seen in January 1979.
'It follows a curb on international cocoa exports initiated earlier this week by the country's new president, Alassane Ouattara.
Angus Kennedy, the editor of Kennedy's Confection and a leading British chocolatier, said chocolate producers are facing 'one of the biggest challenges to hit the industry in recent history'.
'Supplies of sustainable cocoa are set to run out, it's that simple,' he said'.
Drying up: Ivory Coast cocoa supplies are under threat after many farmers have fled the country
'The Ivory Coast is a complete no-go area for cocoa traders as it's too dangerous, so training new farmers and trying to cut problems in the region is now, mostly impossible.
'So in effect, its sustainability is not sustainable. Prices can't go up as it's reported because there basically isn't enough certified cocoa left to sell.'
Of the world's 5.5 million cocoa farmers, only 10 per cent have been trained and certified as sustainable fair-trade producers.The certification is granted by specially-trained teachers, and the course runs for up to three years.
But the political turmoil in Ivory Coast means both the farmers and trainers are fleeing the country, leaving a severe shortage of certified cocoa beans.
Even if the political situation improves, it could take three years or more for the number of certified fair-trade farmers to reach its former level.
According to Mr Kennedy, manufacturers are now fighting for the rest of the world's sustainable cocoa bean stock.
'Things could get nasty now as producers start to fight over the last stocks,' he added.