Chocolate Lovers And The Ivory Coast (RMCF, HSY)

I bet you know someone that ate a piece of chocolate today. Or I bet you have noticed Hershey's

30% return in 2010, or Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory's

20% return in 2010. Or maybe you had absolutely no contact with chocolate in 2010, in which case it may be time to expand your social circle, or check your pulse. Chocolate is everywhere; in milk, ice cream, and yes, even beer. Savor that chocolate flavor, because it may not be as readily available in the future. Hershey

and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

are dependent on a particular area of the world for tasty chocolate treats, and I bet you didn't even know its name. In the past few weeks tensions have been high in the Ivory Coast, an area on the western edge of Africa. Here is a quick overview of what has happened in this chocolate-producing area: Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo lost the presidential election to Alassane Ouattara, or at least the international community seems to think so. The Ivory Coast's Constitutional Council however, headed by a political ally of Gbagbo, cited voter fraud in the pro-Ouattara northern region and declared Gbagbo winner. Alassane Ouattara has been sworn in as president, but Gbagbo has too. Currently Ouattara is blockaded in a hotel in Abidjan, the Ivory Coast's capital. Meanwhile, state leaders from members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), have been attempting to reason with Gbagbo to relinquish power. Gbagbo has agreed to further negotiations with ECOWAS but has yet to agree to step down as president, leading ECOWAS to consider removal by force. This morning,

that Ouattara is willing to grant Gbagbo amnesty if he steps down quickly. If Gbabgo does not accept this offer, and force is used, expect backlash. The Ivory Coast has been plagued by civil war in the past, and a hotly contested presidency could cause warfare. How does political turmoil halfway across the world affect chocolate? The Ivory Coast is the world's number one producer of cocoa. And that affects - you guessed it - the delectably delicious treats of Hershey's and Hershey's and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. According to a

, “Chocolate lovers everywhere have reasons to be nervous about the political turmoil in Ivory Coast. The West African nation produces nearly 40% of the world's raw cocoa.” In addition, the BBC goes on to say, “With the political outlook uncertain, farmers in Ivory Coast have been less willing to take the financial risk and put in the effort required to grow more cocoa, which means the country's productive capacity has gone into gradual decline. This has been one reason why world cocoa prices have risen in recent years.” Although it remains uncertain what the future holds for the Ivory Coast, things currently look bleak. If Gbagbo forces ECOWAS' hand, there is no telling how ugly things could become.