Chocolate prices in the United States surged by 14% this year.

As the traditional Western holiday Valentine's Day approaches, many Americans are preparing to purchase chocolate as a holiday gift for family and friends. According to a report from the American cable news network on the 13th, the price of chocolate in the United States has been continuously rising, with a year-on-year increase of over 14% so far this year. The increase in the price of chocolate in the United States is mainly due to a global shortage of cocoa beans, the core raw material. Cocoa bean production in West Africa accounts for about 70% of the global total, but extreme weather has led to poor harvests, causing cocoa futures prices to surge to historic highs, from around $2500 per ton in mid-2022 to over $12600 per ton by the end of 2024. Although international cocoa prices have recently fallen significantly, chocolate products on the American market are still digesting the high-priced raw materials purchased earlier, and with the stimulation of holiday consumption demand, the rising trend of chocolate prices may continue in the short term.