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Worldnews

Bitter Truth: Why Has Chocolate Become So Expensive?

High temperatures, ageing trees and disease have lowered cocoa supplies and raised prices. Cocoa prices surged almost 300 percent last year, making chocolate bars, Easter eggs and cocoa powder much more expensive this year than last. In the United States, retail chocolate prices were one-fifth higher this Valentine’s Day compared with last year, according to Wells Fargo Bank. The price of a king-size US-sold Reese’s Hearts chocolate bar was 13 percent higher in February 2024 than in the same month the year before. In the United Kingdom, meanwhile, a Twix white chocolate Easter egg rose in price from 5 to 6 pounds ($6.63 to $7.96) at Tesco supermarkets in the run-up to Easter (year-on-year) and was reduced in size from 316g (11oz) to 258g (9oz). In all, the unit price rose by a whopping 47 percent. While the price of cocoa – the key ingredient in chocolate made from roasted raw cacao beans – has fallen back by about 20 percent since its all-time high in December 2024, consumers are still paying record prices for chocolate. The spike in the price of cocoa can be chalked up to several factors. Chief among them is extreme weather, which has hit cocoa producers in West Africa, from where most of the world imports cocoa. According to Amber Sawyer, an analyst at the environmental think tank Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), expensive chocolate should not come as a surprise. “Chocolate is just one of the many foods being made more expensive by climate change-driven extreme weather,” she said. “These extremes will keep getting worse.” And so might the prices. Benchmark New York futures contracts, used to exchange cocoa at a specified future date and price, hit a high of $12,565 per metric tonne in December 2024. Last year’s meagre cocoa harvest led to record supply shortfalls, as poor weather and disease devastated crops in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, where two-thirds of the world’s cocoa beans are grown. Crop shortages were also observed in Nigeria and Indonesia, the third- and fourth-largest cocoa producers. In all, there was a 500,000-tonne deficit of cocoa in global markets in 2024, which is continuing to keep prices high. The latest cocoa harvest – which ran from October 2024 to March 2025 – did get off to a bright start, with 33 percent more beans arriving at Ivory Coast ports compared with last year, Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch said in a note to clients. But while the New York cocoa futures price is currently hovering at about $8,350 per tonne – a significant drop from December – concerns are growing that the same dry weather that wrecked last year’s crop will take a similarly devastating toll this year, Fritsch said. The uncertainty is taking a toll on chocolate producers. Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut slashed its annual sales forecasts on April 11 due to what it called “unprecedented volatility” in cocoa prices, sending its shares falling almost 20 percent – its biggest ever one-day drop. Volatile weather is one major factor. West Africa experienced extreme rainfall in 2023, with total precipitation more than double the 30-year average in some places, while 2024 saw extreme heat and drought. Many climate scientists point to the El Nino weather phenomenon, which produces warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, as the primary driver for volatile weather patterns. However, they also expect a transition to the La Nina pattern – the cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific every three to five years – to revive cocoa yields at least temporarily. Indeed, the International Cocoa Organization in February forecast a global cocoa surplus of 142,000 megatonnes for 2024-25, the first surplus in four years. That partly explains the recent fall in price. But according to Felipe Pohlmann Gonzaga, a Switzerland-based commodity trader, the larger picture of “climate change is only going to make supply concerns worse” in the longer term. Scientists at the research group Climate Central published a paper this year showing that climate change compromised cacao trees during the harvest season in Ivory Coast and Ghana. Besides changing weather patterns, several other issues are also driving recent price hikes in cocoa. Across West Africa, new deforestation laws have prevented farmers from expanding cocoa plantations, keeping a lid on supply. West Africa is also grappling with an ageing tree stock. “Older trees are not being replaced,” Pohlmann Gonzaga told Al Jazeera. “There has been under-investment in the industry.” At the same time, the spread of the cocoa swollen shoot virus (CSSV) has hit harvests. Tropical Research Services, a market research group, recently found that Ivory Coast cocoa production could halve due to the spread of CSSV. Meanwhile, Ghanaian cocoa farmers are abandoning beans for gold in an illegal mining boom that has hit Ghana’s cocoa production and helped drive up prices. In recent months, investors have been buying up the precious metal to shield themselves from the financial market turmoil unleashed by United States President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs. On April 16, gold reached $3,357 per ounce for the first time. As a result, many farmers are selling their holdings to illegal miners who have decimated swaths of land in pursuit of gold. Ghana is Africa’s leading producer of gold – and the sixth-largest globally. “Tariffs have had an impact on the value of commodities, and cocoa is no exception,” says Pohlmann Gonzaga. “At first, you’d think trade levies would reduce demand for cocoa in the US, which is a big consumer.” The US consumes the most chocolate in the world, though the Swiss take that tag for the most per-capita consumption. “But if US consumption persists, that could raise prices. And of course, Trump may drop tariffs [on West African cocoa exporters] in the future, which would probably lead to higher demand.” Pohlmann Gonzaga cited the growing demand for chocolate in East Asia. “We may be seeing a similar trend as with coffee,” he said. China’s coffee consumption, for instance, increased by more than 60 percent between 2019 and 2024. In the near term, Pohlmann Gonzaga said prices are likely to “trend sideways … as these factors can cancel each other out. Volatility will be the word of order for this year”. So far, producers have responded in one of two ways – by passing the higher cost to consumers, or by promoting products with less cocoa or with substitute ingredients. Last year, food giant Nestle introduced a hazelnut flavour to its British Aero line of chocolate bars, which, at 36g (1.3oz), are about one-third the weight of competing chocolate bars. In 2024, agri-food giant Cargill partnered with US chocolate alternatives producer Voyage Foods – which creates cocoa-free bars from grape seeds, sunflower flour and other flavourings – to be its business-to-business distributor. In addition to big companies, startups like Nukoko and Planet A are exploring microbial fermentation techniques to enhance and mimic the aromas and flavours of chocolate. Elsewhere, Dubai chocolate was founded in 2022. Its products are filled with pistachio and tahini and are inspired by kunafa, the chessy, saccharine dessert that is a staple across the Middle East and North Africa. Since coming to market, it has become a social media sensation. If cocoa prices continue rising, “I’d expect to see more and more cocoa substitutes on supermarket shelves. The interesting question is whether consumer tastes will change”, said Pohlmann Gonzaga. Follow Al Jazeera English:...

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Pope Francis Through The Years: A Life In Pictures

In Pictures Born in Argentina, Francis was the only Latin American pontiff and first non-European pope in more than 1,000 years. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, has died. He was 88 years old. Born in Argentina, he was the first Latin American pope as well as the first non-European to serve for more than 1,000 years. He was known for his simple words and humble manner that immediately won over the crowds. After he assumed the papacy in 2013, Francis aimed to make the church more inclusive, opening up key roles to women and trying to address the issue of child sex abuse by Catholic clerics. Analysts, however, remain divided about the success of his efforts. The 88-year-old pontiff was recovering from double pneumonia and was under doctors’ orders to observe two months of convalescence since he left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on March 23. Francis suffered from a number of health issues throughout his life, including having part of one of his lungs removed at the age of 21. He became increasingly fragile in recent years. Here are some pictures from his life as pope: Follow Al Jazeera English:...

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Who Will Be The Next Pope After Francis? The Selection Process, Whats Next

Potential successors to Pope Francis are Ghana’s Peter Turkson, Luis Tagle of the Philippines and Hungary’s Peter Erdo. Pope Francis died on Monday morning, the Vatican announced, days after he was discharged from hospital after undergoing treatment for a complex respiratory infection. He was 88 years old. His death, 12 years after he was declared pope, has prompted renewed questions about who will succeed him as leader of the Catholic Church, one of the oldest and largest religious institutions with up to 1.39 billion followers. Here’s what you need to know about what could come after Pope Francis, whose social justice ideals and global vision have transformed the Church. A successor has yet to be chosen. The College of Cardinals, comprised of senior Catholic clergy – many appointed by Francis himself – will elect the next pope. To be eligible, a candidate must be a baptised, male Roman Catholic, though for centuries, the cardinals have exclusively selected someone from their ranks. There are currently more than 240 cardinals worldwide. They typically hold the title for life. Cardinals below the age of 80, when the pope dies or resigns, vote in what is known as the papal conclave. To prevent outside influence, the conclave locks itself in the Sistine Chapel and deliberates on potential successors. While the number of papal electors is typically capped at 120, there are currently 138 eligible voters. Its members cast their votes via secret ballots, a process overseen by nine randomly selected cardinals. A two-thirds majority is traditionally required to elect the new pope, and voting continues until this threshold is met. After each round, the ballots are burned with chemicals, producing either black or white smoke, signalling to the world about the outcome. Black smoke signals that no decision has been made, while white smoke means a new pope has been elected. Once the pope is elected, a top cardinal announces his name from Saint Peter’s Basilica. It usually happens two or three weeks after the death or resignation of the sitting pope. This allows for a nine-day mourning period and for cardinals to make their way to the Vatican from around the world. The 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, the first pontiff from South America, began just 12 days after the resignation of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. The process can take days, weeks or even longer, depending on how divided the cardinals are. Each day, the conclave can hold up to four rounds of voting to try to achieve the required two-thirds majority. If, after 33 rounds, there is still no decision, the top two candidates face off in a run-off vote. The elections of the last three popes have been relatively quick, with each lasting only several days. But historically, elections have sometimes dragged on much longer, with the papal conclave that elected Pope Gregory X in 1271 taking nearly three years due to fierce political wrangling. Of the 138 cardinals eligible to vote in the conclave, a total of 110 were appointed by Pope Francis. This group is notably more diverse than previous electors, with a higher representation from Asia, Africa and Latin America, reflecting Francis’s goal of mirroring the Church’s global reach. The youngest cardinal elector is only 45 years old, a Ukrainian clergyman based in Australia. As a result, there is a possibility that, for the first time in centuries, the next pope could come from Africa or Asia, or another region traditionally underrepresented in the Church’s leadership. Among the African cardinals being discussed are Ghana’s Peter Turkson, the former head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Fridolin Ambongo, archbishop of Kinshasa. Both are committed conservatives who have been vocal advocates for peace in their respective countries. Another strong contender is Philippine Cardinal Luis Tagle, the former archbishop of Manila. Like Pope Francis, Tagle emphasises social justice and caring for the poor. Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo is seen as a leading conservative candidate and could serve as a bridge to Eastern Christians. The archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Erdo, is a traditionalist who has championed outreach to Orthodox Christians, stressing the “desperate need” for unity between the churches. Also in the mix is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s secretary of state, whose top diplomatic role ensures he is well known by all cardinals. Other possible candidates include Italy’s Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna, and Malta’s Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, a position that kept him in close contact with Pope Francis. During the “sede vacante” (vacant seat) period – when the papal office is unoccupied – a senior cardinal, known as the camerlengo, certifies the pope’s death and temporarily takes charge of the Vatican’s finances and administrative affairs. He does not have the authority to alter Church doctrine or make significant decisions. The current camerlengo is Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who also serves as the president of the Vatican’s Supreme Court. Follow Al Jazeera English:...

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Pope Francis, Pontiff Who Pushed Church Boundaries But Didnt Break Them

The pope, who pushed for a less opaque Vatican and connected to common and marginalised people’s concerns, died aged 88. Pope Francis, the Argentinian pontiff who brought the plight of the world’s most marginalised back to the centre of the Roman Catholic Church’s attention, has died aged 88, the Vatican announced on Monday. A charismatic communicator with a friendly demeanour, Francis succeeded in broadening Catholicism’s appeal at a time of growing disenchantment towards the Church, an institution embroiled in financial and sexual scandals. Throughout his papacy from 2013 to 2025, the pope stripped the Vatican of some layers of opacity and connected with the concerns of common people. He highlighted the plight of the poor and that of prisoners. Francis condemned the Church’s abuse of power while engaging with other faiths. Francis’s tone marked a radical departure from his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who believed that nurturing the Church’s most ardent believers was the way to strengthen the institution. But Francis’s shift never translated into fundamental changes to the Church’s doctrine on contentious issues. In most instances, he remained in line with previous papacies, staunchly opposing gay marriage, women becoming priests and priests marrying. Still, his steps to open up the Church drew the ire of traditionalists, while the lack of radical change under his watch drew criticism from progressives. Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires, to immigrant parents who fled Italy’s fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini. He trained as a chemical technician, worked in the food processing industry, and, for a brief time, was a bouncer in a nightclub in Cordoba before becoming a priest in 1969. He liked to dance tango, although he preferred milonga, Francis said in a 2010 interview, referring to the faster-paced music that preceded tango. His upbringing in Buenos Aires exposed him to religious pluralism and socioeconomic inequalities – two factors that experts believe explain his commitment to interfaith dialogue and pointed criticism of capitalism and consumerism. At just 36 years of age, he became the head of Argentina’s Jesuits, a Roman Catholic order of priests. Back then, he was a stern disciplinarian, experts and biographers say. At the time, liberation theology, a left-wing interpretation of the Gospel that centred on concern for the poor and oppressed groups, was popular among Jesuits in Latin America, but Francis did not subscribe to the ideology. Francis’s tenure then coincided with the years of Argentina’s Dirty War, which lasted from 1976 to 1983 – seven years of brutal military dictatorship. Tens of thousands of people were tortured, killed and disappeared. The role of Argentina’s Church in those years remains contentious, with Francis never openly denouncing the regime. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, a position he assumed in 1998, he said he was not aware of the scale of what was happening in the late 1970s – a position refuted by critics and associates who argue that there was no way he could not have known at the time. “Let us pray … for the complicit silence of most of society and of the Church,” he said during a ceremony in 1999, a quote some read as an admission of complacency. During his time as archbishop, he would become an outspoken critic of social injustice and economic inequality. “The Church can’t just sit sucking its finger when faced with a frivolous, cold and calculating market economy,” he once said during a sermon. In 2013, the Catholic world was shocked when the then-Pope Benedict XVI resigned, breaking a centuries-old tradition of holding papal duties until death. Francis, who by then had been elected cardinal, rushed to the Vatican to vote for a new pope. In what was a tight race, Francis, who had already been a runner-up in the previous papal conclave in 2005, was elected. With him, the Church chose its first non-European pontiff in 1,282 years – the last one was Gregory III, elected in 731 from Syria – and also its first leader since then from the Global South, which today is home to the majority of Christians worldwide. Francis set the tone of his papacy immediately. When he stood on the large balcony and faced the huge crowd in Saint Peter’s Square after being elected, he broke with the tradition of blessing the crowd, asking people instead to pray for him. He refused to move to the grand papal apartment on the top floor of the Vatican palace, opting to stay in the more modest Domus Sanctae Marthae residence. He preferred to be driven around in a Fiat rather than a Mercedes-Benz. “Be shepherds with the smell of sheep,” he told a crowd of priests in 2013, urging a departure from the pomp and splendour often associated with the clergy’s top hierarchy. On his first trip outside Rome as pope, he travelled to Lampedusa, an Italian island and key point of entry for migrants and refugees trying to reach Europe. He threw a crown of flowers into the sea to commemorate the people who died in the Mediterranean Sea while risking their lives to come to Europe. Francis criticised then-US President Donald Trump’s plan in 2017 to build a wall along the Mexican border and his speeches targeting Muslims. “In Pope Francis, the message that ‘everybody is brothers and sisters’ is very strong, along with insisting that God pushes for religious pluralism,” said Marco Politi, a Vatican expert and author of the book Pope Francis Among the Wolves: The Inside Story of a Revolution. Such pluralism translated into a more inclusive approach towards other religions, Politi said, putting an end to the “culture war of previous papacies”. Ties between the Church and Muslims around the world had soured when Francis’s predecessor, Benedict XVI, made a speech in September 2006 that was perceived as linking Islam to violence. Francis became the first pontiff ever to travel to the Arabian Peninsula. In February 2019, he landed in the United Arab Emirates, where he met Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque. Together, they signed a document rejecting religious fundamentalism, exhorting people to see in the other a “brother to support and love”. The pope had also met el-Tayeb previously, in 2016, at the Vatican. In another first, Francis, in 2015, published the encyclical Laudato si’ (Praise be to you), in which he urged the world to address the threat of climate change while also stressing the need to rethink the economic balance between the industrialised and developing worlds. The issue of sexual abuses perpetrated by Church officials dominated the tenure of Benedict XVI, whose papacy saw a wave of scandals. Francis began addressing the issue of abuse in 2019 by abolishing the rule of “pontifical secrecy” on cases related to sexual violence. This meant that testimonies collected in the canonical process were finally made available to legal authorities. That same year, after the pope himself admitted to having dismissed valid claims of sexual abuse in Chile, he introduced a law outlining clear rules for reporting child sexual abuse committed by Church officials and attempts to cover it up. Four years later, that rule was updated and strengthened to widen the category of victims to vulnerable adults, while laypeople working for the Church could also now face punishment. But victims’ advocates and critics say Francis did not go far enough to ensure justice. Francis drastically changed the tone of the Church towards homosexuality, ending the Vatican’s long demonisation of gay people. “Who am I to judge?” he famously said in 2013, his words a stark contrast to those of Pope John Paul II, who more than 10 years earlier called a gay rights march in Rome “an offence to Christian values”. More recently, on his way back from a trip to South Sudan, Francis said being gay was not a crime. He expressed support for same-sex civil unions. In 2023, he hinted that he was open to reviewing the practice of celibacy. In December 2023, the Vatican, in a landmark ruling, decided that Catholic priests would be able to administer blessings to same-sex couples, provided these were not given in the context of civil unions or weddings or Church liturgies. At the same time, the pontiff remained opposed to gay marriage and abortion, and while he included women in the Vatican’s government, he always ruled out their becoming priests. Throughout his papacy, Francis often found himself under attack from both conservative and progressive camps. Those following the traditional doctrine saw him as too much of a reformer and a socialist, while those seeking deeper changes within the Church did not consider him bold enough. Politi, the Vatican expert, argues that Francis’s decision not to make changes that were too radical stemmed from an understanding that this would have torn apart an already much-divided Church. Instead, he says, Francis opted “to trigger processes of transformation in its mentality through gestures and words”. Follow Al Jazeera English:...