Chart of the week: Expect a cocoa crunch

Cocoa supplies have struggled to keep pace with the growing demand for high-quality chocolate in emerging markets.

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Global demand for cocoa is soaring, says Alexandra Wexler in Barron's. Chocolate sales have rebounded to 2008 levels and are growing as increasingly wealthy consumers in emerging markets buy more of it.

The growing popularity of cocoa-rich dark chocolate also fuels demand. But supplies have stagnated as land originally set aside for cocoa has been used for other commodities, so stockpiles are dwindling. A 'cocoa crunch'is looming.

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