Cocoa Shortages Drive Cocoa Bean Prices to Record Highs, Threatening High Chocolate Prices for Easter

• Cocoa bean prices have more than doubled since January, hitting record highs due to supply shortages • Shortages caused by severe weather, plant disease, and farmers switching to gold mining in Ghana • Price surge leading to much higher chocolate prices ahead of Easter holiday, with some shops selling eggs for $80 • Chocolatiers struggling with coco bean price volatility and precise temperature needs • Cocoa production forecasted to decline further, driving prices even higher