万花筒 2013-09-19&09-22 巧克力要涨价了

 That melt-in-your-mouth chocolate could soon melt your wallet. Cocoa bean prices have risen 27 percent in six months. And its by-product¹, cocoa butter, that key ingredient that gives chocolate that melting texture², has nearly doubled in price. Driving them higher: tight supply of beans. Lack of rain cut cocoa production in the Ivory Coast. Sterling³ Smith is a futures⁴ specialist at Citigroup. 

-We have weather issues going on in central West Africa. Most of the cocoa in the world, 70 percent, is grown in a small area stretching from the western edge of the Ivory Coast moving east through Ghana. And this area has received about half as much rain as it normally does. And this has elevated cocoa futures.

Add to that greater demand from consumers for chocolate as the economy recovers.

- Cocoa is a direct benefactor⁵. That is, people have a little bit more money in their pockets. They're much more willing to spend. The second thing is, we're seeing better demand for cocoa and chocolate items coming out of Southeast Asia and Asia as a whole. And this is in turn creating more demand for a product that has a limited growing area.

Smith says that it usually takes four to seven months of elevated cocoa butter prices before consumers have to pay more for chocolate. 

- We've been in an elevated cocoa butter situation for four to five months, so I would suspect as we start to move toward the Christmas period and certainly by the time we get to Valentine's Day, we are going to be looking at chocolate prices being a little bit more elevated than what they were year over year.

Chocolate makers⁶ wouldn't comment on whether they'll raise retail⁷ prices. But Smith says if the weather and crop situation in western Ghana gets worse, the price on that $1 candy bar could soon shoot up to $1.25. How bittersweet.

1 by-product   

n.副产品，附带产生的结果

参考例句：

• Freedom is the by-product of economic surplus.自由是经济盈余的副产品。
• The raw material for the tyre is a by-product of petrol refining.制造轮胎的原材料是提炼汽油时产生的一种副产品。

2 texture   

n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理

参考例句：

• We could feel the smooth texture of silk.我们能感觉出丝绸的光滑质地。
• Her skin has a fine texture.她的皮肤细腻。

3 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

4 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

5 benefactor   

n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人

参考例句：

• The chieftain of that country is disguised as a benefactor this time. 那个国家的首领这一次伪装出一副施恩者的姿态。
• The first thing I did, was to recompense my original benefactor, my good old captain. 我所做的第一件事, 就是报答我那最初的恩人, 那位好心的老船长。

6 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。