Ukrkondprom as a member of the Ukrainian Council Business became a signatory of the appeal, in which the people are called upon deputies to consider business proposals, including, of:

• Prescribing the procedure for re-certification of all personnel, which would contain key fuses, in particular, regarding the impossibility of renewal by the courts employees, who did not pass such re-certification;
• Strengthening the analytical function of the Bureau by provision of free access for BEB to existing state information systems;
•  Establishing performance criteria for the updated Bureau economic security and their constant control;
• Granting the right to the personnel commission during re-certification of personnel should be guided by reasonable doubt, which is based on facts, documents, etc – during the integrity check of the candidate.

Disregard of the above-mentioned proposals regarding the mechanism of re-certification of current employees and strengthening the analytical function of the law enforcement body – carries a significant risk saving personnel, that do not comply with the principles of integrity and repeatability unsuccessful launch of the Bureau of Economic Security.

The full text of the appeal can be found at link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WfbDljecbB19Soi5QLikZyZhyJHNr5clVN-Pa1JO9bI/edit

World prices for cocoa beans exceeded the mark 10 thousands of dollars per ton, setting another record. The market was shaken by a poor harvest from key West African producers, which led not only to an increase in the price, but also to a noticeable shortage of cocoa beans.Focus researched, what is happening and how the situation on the cocoa bean market will affect the cost of Ukrainian confectionery.

Reasons for shortage: production cuts and weather conditions

In the last week of March, the most active cocoa futures jumped to 4,5% before $10080 per ton in New York. And although later they decreased to $9 622, fordata Bloomberg, cocoa futures in London and New York have more than doubled this year.
Experts explain, that this followed news of funding problems in Ghana, which is the second largest producer of cocoa beans in the world.The thing is, that the Ghana Cocoa Board relies on foreign funding, to pay farmers, who grow cocoa. But the country could soon lose access to a key financial mechanism due to a crop crisis.

President of the Association “Ukrkondprom” Oleksandr Baldyniuk draws attention, that price increases are unlikely to be temporary, because this is a big systemic problem. “For a long time, low prices were kept for cocoa beans, therefore, the field did not attract the attention of investors, - noted the expert in the comment Focus. —Cultivation of cocoa beans, which is localized in three African countries (Cote dʼIvoire, Ghana and Nigeria), has been declining over the years: the trees grew old, the area was not increased, harvests were decreasing. Lately, weather conditions have been imposed on it, which were unfavorable for cultivation and harvesting, and the world faced a shortage of cocoa beans. Prices do not stop yet: if over the past year they have increased by 50%, then for the first three months 2024 year - almost twice. For comparison: in September 2022, cocoa beans could be bought for 2,5 th. dollars per ton, in December last year — by 4 th. dollars per ton, and now the cost has exceeded 9 th. dollars”.

The full text of the article can be found at the link: https://focus.ua/uk/economics/637543-bude-nesolodko-chomu-v-ukrajini-u-2024-roci-zletyat-cini-na-shokolad-i-cukerki

At the end of March 2024 year the price of cocoa beans reached an all-time high – 10 th. US. per ton. Experts call the abnormally hot weather in Côte d'Ivoire the reason for this, which puts the cocoa bean crop at risk. Prices rose only on expectations - cocoa beans are sold on exchanges under futures contracts. Ukraine has already been affected by the price increase, in particular, since the beginning of the year, prices for chocolate bars have increased by almost a third. How much more expensive is chocolate, what to expect from its quality and what happens to cocoa beans in general? To these questions in the blitz interview Ukrainian merchant answered the president of the association of domestic confectioners "Ukrkondprom" Oleksandr Baldyniuk

Is chocolate going up in price??

Of course, its value will increase. It is already growing - since the beginning of the year it has jumped to 20%, maybe even more. I do not monitor consumer prices in Ukraine, and statistics are not currently published in the necessary volumes, but from that, what we see on the market, chocolate grows every month, at least since the new year. Last year, the price of cocoa beans increased by 50%, for this year it has already almost doubled, and will continue to grow. If somewhere in September 2021 year, the cost of cocoa beans was 2,5 th. US. per ton, now it is over 9 th. USD per ton.

The full text of the article can be found at the link: https://www.komersant.info/50-60-podorozhchannia-shokoladu-optymistychnyy-stsenariy-prezydent-ukrkondpromu-oleksandr-baldyniuk/

Cocoa bean prices continue to rise on world exchanges. So, 3 in March, the price of a ton soared to 6600 dollars, but, experts note, an impressive price is not the limit. Prices may increase in the future, and chocolate will become a delicacy, not available to every sweet tooth.

About it in the comments“Telegraph” said Oleksandr Baldynyuk, head “Ukrkondpromu”.

The expert noted, that Ukrainian confectionery manufacturers are also under pressure from rising prices for cocoa beans. In addition, other factors affect the price of chocolate in Ukraine, including high logistics costs. This means, that chocolate prices in Ukraine may rise faster, than on the world market.

The full text of the article can be found at the link: https://hvylya.net/uk/news/289108-ukraincam-pridetsya-platit-vdvoe-bolshe-za-populyarnyy-produkt-iz-za-blokady-granicy-s-polshey