COPAL COCOA Info s3

COPAL COCOA Info

A Weekly Newsletter of the Alliance of Cocoa Producing Countries

COCOA PRODUCERS’ ALLIANCE, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE,

P.O. BOX 1718, LAGOS, NIGERIA. TEL: +234(0)1-263-5574 FAX: +234(0)1-263-5684

Email: Website: www.copal-cpa.org

Health and Nutrition
· Cocoa could be the new brain drug
Production and Quality
· Can organic Cocoa produce create wealth in rural Ghana?
The Market
· Cocoa climbs
Processing and Manufacturing
· Ghana's Divine way of making chocolate
Business & Economy
· In Ghana, a cooperative helps women cocoa farmers take the lead
Labour Issues
· Cocoa farmers deserve a taste of sweet success / Environmental Issue
·
Research & Development
· Making Chocolate environmentally friendly: World Cocoa Foundation works to advance biodiversity in the Cocoa Sector
· WCF receives grant to further cocoa biodiversity
Promotion & Consumption
·
Others
· Farmers cautioned against use of unapproved insecticides
· Cocoa farmers urged to seek technical advice
· Can cocoa companies do more for women?
· Cocoa farming and the power of one woman’s dream

In the News (from Newspapers worldwide)

ICCO Daily Cocoa Prices

ICCO Daily Price
(SDR/tonne) / ICCO Daily Price
($US/tonne) / London futures
(£/tonne) / New York futures
($US/tonne)
4th March / 1389.09 / 2092.36 / 1403.67 / 2069.33
5th March / 1388.89 / 2096.59 / 1406.67 / 2070.67
6th March / 1379.74 / 2081.69 / 1406.00 / 2051.00
7th March / 1395.18 / 2100.05 / 1416.00 / 2073.67
8th March / 1425.22 / 2149.08 / 1455.33 / 2128.33
Average / 1396.00 / 2104.00 / 1418.00 / 2079.00

International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE)

London Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities

(£ per tone)

Monday / 4th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 1381 / 1362 / -19 / 1383S / 1360 / 8,031
May2013 / 1406 / 1388 / -18 / 1407S / 1386 / 11,049
Jul2013 / 1423 / 1404 / -18 / 1424S / 1402S / 7,475
Sep2013 / 1433 / 1419 / -17 / 1435S / 1417S / 3,031
Dec2013 / 1439 / 1426 / -16 / 1441S / 1425S / 3,091
Mar2014 / 1434 / 1427 / -14 / 1435S / 1425 / 2,097
May2014 / 1437 / 1433 / -13 / 1437 / 1432 / 344
Jul2014 / 1443 / 1439 / -11 / 1446S / 1439S / 149
Sep2014 / 1450 / 1444 / -12 / 1450 / 1445S / 240
Dec2014 / 1459 / 1453 / -13 / 1459 / 1459 / 6
Average/Totals / 1420 / 35,513
Tuesday / 5th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 1363 / 1365 / 3 / 1374S / 1357S / 14,809
May2013 / 1389 / 1391 / 3 / 1401 / 1384 / 6,692
Jul2013 / 1405 / 1407 / 3 / 1417S / 1400 / 10,196
Sep2013 / 1420 / 1422 / 3 / 1428S / 1415S / 2,144
Dec2013 / 1428 / 1429 / 3 / 1439S / 1424 / 3,574
Mar2014 / 1429 / 1429 / 2 / 1440S / 1425S / 2,178
May2014 / 1433 / 1436 / 3 / 1443S / 1432S / 126
Jul2014 / 1440 / 1441 / 2 / 1449S / 1440 / 11
Sep2014 / 1445 / 1447 / 3 / 1445S / 1445S / 18
Dec2014 / 1457 / 1456 / 3 / 1465S / 1457 / 18
Average/Totals / 1422 / 39,766
Wednesday / 6th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 1363 / 1367 / 2 / 1373S / 1357S / 10,915
May2013 / 1388 / 1390 / -1 / 1394S / 1382S / 11,832
Jul2013 / 1405 / 1407 / 0 / 1410 / 1400S / 10,660
Sep2013 / 1419 / 1421 / -1 / 1425S / 1414S / 4,740
Dec2013 / 1427 / 1428 / -1 / 1433S / 1421S / 3,593
Mar2014 / 1426 / 1426 / -3 / 1433S / 1421 / 1,491
May2014 / 1429 / 1432 / -4 / 1435S / 1429S / 69
Jul2014 / 1440 / 1438 / -3 / 1440 / 1440 / 3
Sep2014 / 1444 / -3 / 0
Dec2014 / 1451 / 1453 / -3 / 1451 / 1450 / 13
Average/Totals / 1421 / 43,316
Thursday / 7th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 1365 / 1386 / 19 / 1387S / 1365 / 13,242
May2013 / 1394 / 1401 / 11 / 1402 / 1386S / 16,102
Jul2013 / 1410 / 1417 / 10 / 1417 / 1403S / 2,394
Sep2013 / 1425 / 1430 / 9 / 1431S / 1417S / 1,651
Dec2013 / 1432 / 1433 / 5 / 1435S / 1424 / 1,471
Mar2014 / 1430 / 1431 / 5 / 1432S / 1423S / 748
May2014 / 1433 / 1436 / 4 / 1437S / 1430S / 145
Jul2014 / 1440 / 1442 / 4 / 1445S / 1439S / 571
Sep2014 / 1445 / 1447 / 3 / 1449S / 1445S / 34
Dec2014 / 1450 / 1456 / 3 / 1456S / 1450 / 38
Average/Totals / 1428 / 36,396
Friday / 8th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 1391 / 1426 / 40 / 1427S / 1386 / 10,425
May2013 / 1405 / 1441 / 40 / 1444 / 1403 / 10,025
Jul2013 / 1421 / 1457 / 40 / 1459S / 1420 / 10,962
Sep2013 / 1434 / 1468 / 38 / 1470S / 1433S / 2,503
Dec2013 / 1436 / 1471 / 38 / 1473S / 1436S / 1,471
Mar2014 / 1435 / 1468 / 37 / 1469S / 1435S / 1,767
May2014 / 1442 / 1473 / 37 / 1474S / 1442S / 50
Jul2014 / 1448 / 1478 / 36 / 1473S / 1448S / 107
Sep2014 / 1483 / 36 / 0
Dec2014 / 1492 / 36 / 0
Average/Totals / 1470 / 37,310
Average for the week / 1470 / 6420
6420

New York Board of Trade

(New York Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities)

(US$ per tone)

Monday / 4th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 2085 / 2055 / -27 / 2087 / 2085 / 3
May2013 / 2085 / 2056 / -26 / 2085 / 2053 / 13,198
Jul2013 / 2100 / 2068 / -24 / 2100 / 2066 / 5,175
Sep2013 / 2114 / 2080 / -22 / 2114 / 2078 / 1,997
Dec2013 / 2109 / 2092 / -21 / 2111 / 2090 / 1,045
Mar2014 / 2110 / 2103 / -20 / 2111 / 2101 / 386
May2014 / 2116 / 2114 / -21 / 2116 / 2113 / 53
Jul2014 / 2125 / 2121 / -22 / 2125 / 2122 / 77
Sep2014 / 2134 / 2131 / -21 / 2135 / 2134 / 24
Dec2014 / 0 / 2139 / -21 / 0 / 0 / 0
Average/Totals / 2096 / 21,958
Tuesday / 5th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 0 / 2076 / 21 / 0 / 0 / 0
May2013 / 2061 / 2059 / 3 / 2082 / 2056 / 10,237
Jul2013 / 2075 / 2070 / 2 / 2092 / 2067 / 2,343
Sep2013 / 2089 / 2083 / 3 / 2102 / 2079 / 2,613
Dec2013 / 2101 / 2094 / 2 / 2114 / 2092 / 1,246
Mar2014 / 2111 / 2105 / 2 / 2125 / 2105 / 276
May2014 / 2124 / 2117 / 3 / 2136 / 2124 / 40
Jul2014 / 0 / 2124 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 9
Sep2014 / 0 / 2134 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 5
Dec2014 / 0 / 2142 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0
Average/Totals / 2100 / 16,769
Wednesday / 6th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 0 / 2046 / -30 / 0 / 0 / 0
May2013 / 2054 / 2042 / -17 / 2060 / 2038 / 10,307
Jul2013 / 2065 / 2053 / -17 / 2071 / 2049 / 3,167
Sep2013 / 2073 / 2067 / -16 / 2079 / 2062 / 2,149
Dec2013 / 2088 / 2076 / -18 / 2090 / 2072 / 1,165
Mar2014 / 2103 / 2087 / -18 / 2103 / 2088 / 276
May2014 / 2113 / 2097 / -20 / 2113 / 2098 / 52
Jul2014 / 2116 / 2104 / -20 / 2116 / 2103 / 10
Sep2014 / 0 / 2114 / -20 / 0 / 0 / 0
Dec2014 / 0 / 2122 / -20 / 0 / 0 / 0
Average/Totals / 2081 / 17,126
Thursday / 7th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 0 / 2064 / 18 / 0 / 0 / 0
May2013 / 2042 / 2062 / 20 / 2073 / 2034 / 10,109
Jul2013 / 2052 / 2073 / 20 / 2085 / 2046 / 3,192
Sep2013 / 2065 / 2086 / 19 / 2097 / 2059 / 1,586
Dec2013 / 2074 / 2096 / 20 / 2106 / 2071 / 1,329
Mar2014 / 2083 / 2108 / 21 / 2114 / 2083 / 632
May2014 / 2099 / 2118 / 21 / 2120 / 2099 / 139
Jul2014 / 2103 / 2126 / 22 / 2129 / 2103 / 7
Sep2014 / 2141 / 2136 / 22 / 2141 / 2141 / 10
Dec2014 / 0 / 2145 / 23 / 0 / 0 / 0
Average/Totals / 2101 / 17,004
Friday / 8th March / 2013
Month / Opening Trans / Settle / Change / High / Low / Volume
Mar2013 / 2112 / 2119 / 55 / 2142 / 2112 / 16
May2013 / 2067 / 2120 / 58 / 2130 / 2067 / 14,831
Jul2013 / 2085 / 2130 / 57 / 2138 / 2080 / 3,522
Sep2013 / 2094 / 2142 / 56 / 2149 / 2094 / 2,330
Dec2013 / 2104 / 2150 / 54 / 2155 / 2103 / 1,872
Mar2014 / 2116 / 2157 / 49 / 2165 / 2113 / 820
May2014 / 2125 / 2165 / 47 / 2167 / 2125 / 318
Jul2014 / 2165 / 2172 / 46 / 2165 / 2165 / 53
Sep2014 / 2175 / 2180 / 44 / 2175 / 2174 / 87
Dec2014 / 0 / 2190 / 45 / 0 / 0 / 0
Average/Totals / 2156 / 23,849
Average for the week / 2156 / 4768
4768

News

ALLIANCE OF COCOA PRODUCING COUNTRIES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX,

TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE, P.O. BOX 1718, LAGOS, NIGERIA. TEL: +234-70-9814-1735; +234-70-9814-1736;

FAX: +234-1-290-4262 Email: Website: www.copal-cpa.org

ALLIANCE OF COCOA PRODUCING COUNTRIES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX,

TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE, P.O. BOX 1718, LAGOS, NIGERIA. TEL: +234-70-9814-1735; +234-70-9814-1736;

FAX: +234-1-290-4262 Email: Website: www.copal-cpa.org

ALLIANCE OF COCOA PRODUCING COUNTRIES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX,

TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE, P.O. BOX 1718, LAGOS, NIGERIA. TEL: +234-70-9814-1735; +234-70-9814-1736;

FAX: +234-1-290-4262 Email: Website: www.copal-cpa.org

ALLIANCE OF COCOA PRODUCING COUNTRIES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX,

TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE, P.O. BOX 1718, LAGOS, NIGERIA. TEL: +234-70-9814-1735; +234-70-9814-1736;

FAX: +234-1-290-4262 Email: Website: www.copal-cpa.org

Cocoa could be the new brain drug

Salon

By Daisy Yuhas

Mar 3, 2013

Studies show that high levels of a natural compound in raw cocoa called flavanol lead to greater cognitive function

It’s news chocolate lovers have been craving: raw cocoa may be packed with brain-boosting compounds. Researchers at the University of L’Aquila in Italy, with scientists from Mars, Inc., and their colleagues, published findings last September that suggest cognitive function in the elderly is improved by ingesting high levels of natural compounds called flavanols found in cocoa. The study included 90 individuals with mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. Subjects who drank a cocoa beverage containing either moderate or high levels of flavanols daily for eight weeks demonstrated greater cognitive function than those who consumed low levels of flavanols on three separate tests that measured factors that included verbal fluency, visual searching and attention.

Exactly how cocoa causes these changes is still unknown, but emerging research points to one flavanol in particular: (-)-epicatechin, pronounced “minus epicatechin.” Its name signifies its structure, differentiating it from other catechins, organic compounds highly abundant in cocoa and present in apples, wine and tea. The graph below shows how (-)-epicatechin fits into the world of brain-altering food molecules. Other studies suggest that the compound supports increased circulation and the growth of blood vessels, which could explain improvements in cognition, because better blood flow would bring the brain more oxygen and improve its function.

Animal research has already demonstrated how pure (-)-epicatechin enhances memory. Findings published last October in the Journal of Experimental Biology note that snails can remember a trained task — such as holding their breath in deoxygenated water — for more than a day when given (-)-epicatechin but for less than three hours without the flavanol. Salk Institute neuroscientist Fred Gage and his colleagues found previously that (-)-epicatechin improves spatial memory and increases vasculature in mice. “It’s amazing that a single dietary change could have such profound effects on behavior,” Gage says. If further research confirms the compound’s cognitive effects, flavanol supplements — or raw cocoa beans — could be just what the doctor ordered.

So, Can We Binge on Chocolate Now?

Nope, sorry. A food’s origin, processing, storage and preparation can each alter its chemical composition. As a result, it is nearly impossible to predict which flavanols — and how many — remain in your bonbon or cup of tea. Tragically for chocoholics, most methods of processing cocoa remove many of the flavanols found in the raw plant. Even dark chocolate, touted as the “healthy” option, can be treated such that the cocoa darkens while flavanols are stripped.

Researchers are only beginning to establish standards for measuring flavanol content in chocolate. A typical one and a half ounce chocolate bar might contain about 50 milligrams of flavanols, which means you would need to consume 10 to 20 bars daily to approach the flavanol levels used in the University of L’Aquila study. At that point, the sugars and fats in these sweet confections would probably outweigh any possible brain benefits. Mars Botanical nutritionist and toxicologist Catherine Kwik-Uribe, an author on the University of L’Aquila study, says, “There’s now even more reasons to enjoy tea, apples and chocolate. But diversity and variety in your diet remain key.”*

The Kuna-Cocoa Connection

The Kuna Indians who live on the San Blas Islands off Panama drink an average of five cups of high-flavanol cocoa daily. The island population is also remarkable for extremely low rates of hypertension, unlike the Kuna on the mainland, who consume processed cocoa mix low in flavanols. Researchers, suspecting the island Kuna’s staggering cocoa consumption might account for their superior health, began investigating the health effects of cocoa’s raw compounds. This investigation led to the finding that (-)-epicatechin, one particularly abundant cocoa compound, supports circulation.

Smart People Eat Chocolate?

The more chocolate a population consumes, the more Nobel Laureates it has: Columbia University’s Franz Messerli discovered a positive correlation between annual chocolate consumption per capita and a country’s number of Nobel Prize winners per 10 million people. The study is not meant to seriously imply that brilliance is the result of chocolate consumption. Although Messerli believes chocolate probably has some benefits, his analysis was inspired purely by whimsical curiosity and exemplifies the hazards of reading too much into a correlation.