The price of cocoa has skyrocketed, now costing almost triple what it did last year, and another increase is expected, according to chocolate merchants in Campeche.
Drinking freshly whipped hot chocolate during the Day of the Dead celebrations will come at a higher cost this year, and families will have to make a great effort to acquire it and place it on their altars due to the high costs of cocoa and the scarcity of the product in the country. This situation stems from international conflicts between Mexico and Ecuador, as well as production problems in the states of Chiapas and Tabasco.
A tour of the city’s main supply center confirmed that the price of cocoa per kilogram is around 350 pesos, and merchants confirm that it could continue to rise to 360 pesos in the coming weeks. This represents almost triple what it cost last year.
According to industrial chemist Rocío Dzib, owner of an “old chocolate shop,” during 2023, the cost was around 120 pesos per kilogram, so the increase is considerable. “It’s scarce because there are many factors since April, one is the problem between Mexico and Ecuador. Mexico imports, so when there are international problems, it affects its value. The high temperatures recorded in Chiapas and Tabasco, as well as plant diseases and the rains that have fallen, also affected it,” she noted.
She said that in 2024, activity in her business has decreased compared to other years when, before the Day of the Dead, there was high demand from Campeche residents to acquire the product either in tablet form or to have the grains processed, ground, and made into tablets.
She highlighted that the final impact is on the citizens’ wallets, as in addition to the raw material, they use electricity, which has also increased in cost, to carry out other tasks such as processing, grinding, and making tablets. “This affects the final product, as in other years, there was high demand for tablets and milling services at our store. We had significant lines, but now only a few people come to buy.”
Source: Por Esto
