Cocoa’s relentless rally is pushing the global market to breaking point
Cocoa Bean
Indonesia
United Kingdom
Published Mar 29, 2024
Tridge summary
The global cocoa market is currently facing severe shortages, leading to a significant increase in prices, which have more than doubled in just three months. This crisis is attributed to poor harvests in West Africa due to climate change and crop diseases, causing financial strain for traders, processors, and chocolate makers, with concerns over potential company failures. Companies like Barry Callebaut AG and Acomo NV are already impacted, taking measures to mitigate financial pressures. The futures market is experiencing volatility, with ICE implementing measures to maintain order. Cargill Inc has taken delivery of a large quantity of cocoa to offset shortages, exacerbating the situation. The upcoming EU deforestation regulation and high costs are leading to factory closures and workforce reductions in the chocolate industry. The market's volatility is driven by supply constraints, regulatory changes, and speculative trading, with the situation expected to remain challenging until new supplies become available.
Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by a state-of-the-art LLM model and is intended for informational purposes only. It is recommended that readers refer to the original article for more context.
Original content
(March 29): The global cocoa market is buckling under the strain of unprecedented shortages. A once-unimaginable rally that upended physical trading is now filtering rapidly through to the futures market. Prices that have more than doubled in just three months are forcing traders, processors and chocolate makers to stump up more cash to cover their trades or head for the exit. That’s raising the spectre of company failures like the ones that plagued European utilities during the recent energy crisis, when gas prices spiralled out of control and governments were forced to bail them out. There are fears it could be worse — some traders are even alluding to a nickel-type meltdown that rattled the London Metal Exchange. “It’s hard to understand the magnitude of the price rise with panic in the physical market and lack of performance by suppliers due to the crop failure being the driver,” said Pam Thornton, a veteran commodity trader at Nightingale Investment Management, who’s best ...
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