Consortium for the Protection of Modica PGI Chocolate: shortening the production chain. Climatic effects and speculative phenomena underlying the double-digit increase in the price of cocoa.
The effects caused by the lower cocoa supply capacity of Ivory Coast and Ghana, countries which alone represent around 70% of world production, as a consequence of agronomic problems, ongoing climate changes and the spread of numerous pathogens typical of the cocoa tree, has triggered worrying speculative phenomena linked to the financial world and the mechanisms connected to it (futures) that establish the value of goods.
The alarming data shows that the price was already growing in January by around 4,000USD/Ton. it skyrocketed to a record price of 10,000 USD/Ton in March 2024. All this without the real economy of cocoa producers having the slightest benefit, far from it.
At this point the possibility of moving from the preliminary design phase to that of the “Pasta Amara Modica” executive project takes shape; a project already evaluated during 2017 by the Director of the Consortium for the Protection of Chocolate of Modica Nino Scivoletto together with Dr. Davide Guarnaccia, Scientific Director of the nutraceutical sector of Laerbium and Expert in cocoa and chocolate, which involves the production of bitter paste of cocoa in a plant located right in the Modica area.
A sort of return to the past, to the mid-18th century in which, as documented by the archival research conducted by Grazia Dormiente, cocoa, coming from Central America, arrived at the port of Palermo from where, thanks to trusted bordonari, it arrived in the County of Modica, to be transformed into bitter cocoa paste, thus becoming the main ingredient, then as now, of the legendary Modica chocolate.
With an eye to the future, such a production structure will be able to benefit from the relationships established with three important producing countries: Indonesia, Ecuador and Costa Rica, thus starting a virtuous circuit based on Ethics, Traceability and Sustainability.
From this perspective, the Consortium expresses its appreciation for the initiative of Sicindustria which has promoted a meeting on May 10th with a delegation from the Ivory Coast, led by Mr. Diakité Siaka, among other things, President of the Association of Cocoa and of coffee.
The shortening of the supply chain, in fact, will allow us to achieve multiple goals:
– The significant reduction in the cost of raw materials for Modica PGI chocolate producers who will be able to emancipate themselves from current and future processes of financial speculation, as well as from the unavailability of semi-finished products;
– The shortening, as well as the objective of total traceability, of the supply chain that connects the cocoa commodity to the finished products obtained from it, allowing each chocolate consumer to know which plantation the cocoa beans come from and not just the country or area of origin.
– The qualitative improvement of production, through the adoption of scientific knowledge acquired during some experimental protocols, implemented in collaboration with the producing countries mentioned above, which Doctor Guarnaccia dealt with directly.
Furthermore, further contributions of knowledge and transfer of scientific acquisitions could be implemented locally, with the aim of providing a product that has ever greater attention to the nutritional and well-being aspects associated with the consumption of chocolate;
– The socio-economic benefit for producing countries: Cocoa grown in dignified working conditions, with the utmost respect for people and, therefore, without any type of exploitation which will allow them to establish fair and respectful prices for the work associated with online cocoa production with the decalogue of the European Association The Chocolate Way.
– Finally, the production of cocoa derivatives (bitter paste, butter and cocoa powder) in the Modica District can also be offered to other operators in the cocoa and chocolate sector, being able to claim indisputable economic and qualitative benefits.
Place: Chocolate Museum of Modica
