The most valuable gift in 2014...

                                We generally gift the most valuable ones to our beloved ones. Like, for example, a Platinum ring or a diamond etc., since they are scarce. But, it is now believed that a new item is about to join the so called 'Scarce' list in 2-3 years.  It is none other than our own chocolate.

Let us now see why chocolate is going to be a rare-product in coming years:

• About 49% of chocolate comes from the country Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa. This country is the world's largest exporter of cocoa. Cocoa is the chief ingredient in chocolate manufacture and the Europe depends on the Ivory Coast for this.
• Ivory Coast has been facing severe problems like political unrest (similar to the one in Libya and Egypt) and drought for the last three years. As a result of this, the cocoa production has decreased to a great extent. 
• Since there is a high level of political unrest in the region and as there is no proper governance, the price of cocoa is increasing at the rate of 10% every month. And, the production has been depleting.
• Chocolatiers purchase their chocolate from the Ivory Coast, melt it, mold and package to their own design.  Chocolate is composed of cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Production costs can be decreased by reducing cocoa solid content or by substituting cocoa butter with another fat. But, Cocoa growers object this substitution since it lowers the demand for their crops.
• In addition to the political unrest stated above, climate change has greatly affected the obroma cacao evergreens, which are native to the Amazon basin. The trees’ natural ripening process requires rich soil, high humidity and rainfall, and many seasons to produce cacao pods, which contain fatty bean-seeds used in the production of cocoa butter.

                               According to the World Cocoa Foundation, around 50 million people around the world depend on cocoa as a source of livelihood. So, all these 50 million people's livelihood would be greatly affected. Proper steps are however, being taken by the European Union and the Government of Ivory Coast to curb this problem. But, however, this problem would definitely be a serious one in 2014. May be, I will gift a two-piece dark chocolate to a wedding couple in the year 2014.