If theres a distinction between the emotion we feel when something dear is suddenly taken away from us and that we feel anticipating a loss,its the suspension of belief that goes with holding on to the last vestiges of what may soon be no more. But what does it mean to hold on to a consumer perishable like chocolate? And where is the human animal that relishes chocolate that is also capable of putting away those bars as long as possible? Unless its bad teeth often a consequence of bad chocolate karma or unwanted weight gain?
Unfortunately,there seems to be no end to doomsday forecasts at our historical moment. Something always appears to be approaching its endgame. For chocolate lovers,the bad news is from the Ivory Coast. The worlds largest cocoa producer is in the midst of political unrest. However,the stand-off between a president who wont vacate office and another whos recognised internationally may finally elicit more than faint airings of displeasure in distant capitals. Why? Because the worlds sustainable supplies of cocoa may soon be exhausted,as early as 2014. The Ivory Coast has become a no-go area for cocoa traders and new farmers cannot be trained. Although Ghana,the second largest cocoa producer,is witnessing a spurt in smuggled cocoa from its neighbour,the price is much higher.
