☕️ A global cocoa shortage

Good morning!

If anyone is in need of a laugh, may I recommend the current season of ‘I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!’

I have been laughing out loud every episode. There have been multiple times I have had to pause the show to stop laughing.

Highly recommend if you’re in need of some brainless viewing.

I’ve got 10 seconds

Quote of the day

“You’re wriggling, crawling over things, twisting around things... there are stalagmites or columns, you’re constantly wriggling rather than walking.”
NSW Cave Rescue Squad President Brian Evans, talking about the rescue of a man and woman from a cave near the Blue Mountains early on Sunday morning. The pair spent 10 hours alone in the cave overnight after becoming separated from their larger group of cavers.

Stat of the day

73 million
The number of people exposed during a data leak of U.S. mobile provider AT&T. According to a statement from the company, it includes 7.6 million current customers and 65.4 million former account holders.

Today in history

2001
Same-sex marriage was legalised in Netherlands, making it the first country in the world to legalise it.

I’ve got 30 seconds

Some headlines from this morning:

• Actor Chance Perdomo, who starred on the shows ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ and ‘Gen V’, has passed away from a motorcycle accident at age 27. His publicist told Variety: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Chance Perdomo’s untimely passing as a result of a motorcycle accident. His passion for the arts and insatiable appetite for life was felt by all who knew him, and his warmth will carry on in those who he loved dearest.”

• Australian boxer Tim Tszyu has suffered his first loss of his professional career in Las Vegas, where he was defeated by Sebastian Fundora in a split decision. It means Tszyu does not get to keep his WBO super welterweight championship belt, and won’t be able to compete for the WBC super welterweight championship belt in the coming months. Speaking after the bout, Tszyu said a gash on his forehead led to blood obscuring his vision, telling reporters: “The momentum was rolling. I was swinging hard in the first rounds and then 'boom', you're blinded completely.”

I’ve got 1 minute

A man in Tasmania has been jailed for possessing AI-generated child abuse material

A man in Tasmania has been jailed for two years for possessing child abuse material, including content generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), it is the first time in Tasmania’s history that a person has been charged for child exploitation material generated by AI.

Context

In October last year, the man plead guilty to two charges of possessing child abuse material and to using a carriage service to access child abuse material.

He has now been sentenced to two years in jail with a non-parole period of 10 months.

AFP Detective Sergeant Aaron Hardcastle said in a statement: “Child abuse material, is still child abuse material, no matter what form it takes.

“People may not be aware that online simulations, fantasy, text-based stories, animations and cartoons, including artificial intelligence-generated content depicting child sexual abuse are all still considered child abuse material under Commonwealth legislation.”

I’ve got 2 minutes

A global cocoa shortage has made Easter eggs more expensive this year

A global cocoa shortage is being blamed for increased chocolate prices this Easter.

Prices are expected to continue to climb until 2025 thanks to several factors including rising inflation, production cuts and climate change.

Global cocoa production is expected to drop by almost 11% this year, according to the International Cocoa Organisation.

Here’s what you need to know.

Cocoa prices

Cocoa, the key ingredient in chocolate, has become increasingly expensive over the past few months.

Like gold or oil, cocoa is a ‘commodity’ — a resource bought or traded in large quantities via global markets. The value of a commodity is determined by benchmark prices, set by these markets.

Cocoa prices have more than doubled in the U.S. since January, from $US4,200 ($AU6,400) per tonne to almost $US10,000 ($AU15,300).

Why?

Rabobank Group – a global food and agriculture bank – attributed global cocoa supply shortages to “adverse weather conditions, ageing trees, and disease in crops”.

For example, recent El Niño weather patterns have been blamed for limiting crop growth in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. More than half the world’s cocoa is grown in the West African nations.

Rabobank analyst Pia Piggott said global trade regulations could also be making it harder for growers to meet environmental and ethical standards.

Australian prices

Rabobank’s analysis shows chocolate prices in Australia have increased by 8.8% since last Easter.

It means the retail cost of chocolate is increasing at double the rate of broader inflation (rising prices) which is 4.1%.

Despite prices for some food products beginning to ease after high inflation in 2023, Piggott said chocolate prices here in Australia and around the world are expected to remain high.

“Shrinkflation”

The high cost of cocoa has prompted some manufacturers to reduce the size of their products whilst keeping the price the same — a trend known as “shrinkflation”. For example, fewer or smaller chocolate eggs in a packet.

Consumer advocate group CHOICE has called for retailers to be more transparent about shrinkflation, so customers know when a product has changed.

Response

Swiss chocolatier Lindt said: “The world market price for cocoa has been rising continuously since the end of 2022.” It warned customers that its prices will increase in 2024 and 2025.

One of Australia’s biggest chocolate brands, Cadbury, said ingredients including cocoa have reached “record high prices”.

A Cadbury spokesperson told TDA: “We understand the economic pressures that consumers continue to face,” as it works “to absorb these continuing cost increases where possible”.

A message from our sponsor

Have you ever found a sick, injured or displaced animal and not known what to do? Now, you can help Australian wildlife by downloading an app on your phone.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)’s Wildlife Rescue App is designed to connect you with the closest licensed wildlife rescue group at the touch of a button.

Whether you find an animal that needs assistance, or one that has already passed away it’s still important to report it. When a female dies after a collision, her pouch joey may survive and could still need help.

Don’t wait until you’ve already left for your road trip. Download the free IFAW Wildlife Rescue App to help Australia's wildlife today.

Give me some good news

Maisie Place, 23, from the NSW South Coast has become the first woman to lead a team at the Bathurst 6 Hour endurance race on Sunday.

The race saw 61 cars compete on the roads of Mount Panorama in Bathurst, which is 6,213km in length.

Speaking to Fox Sports yesterday, Place said: “When I came into this event, I didn’t actually know I was going to be the first female owner and first female to run a team here… So it was kind of a surprise when I got here and got fed all of this information. I was like ‘Oh, wow, this is actually making history.’”

TDA tidbit

Here’s a weird one – a man from the U.S. state of Texas has legally changed his name to ‘Literally Anybody Else’ and announced he is running for US President in the 2024 election.

In an interview with WFAA, the man said: “Out of 300 million people, we can do better [than current candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump]… It’s not necessarily about me as a person, but it’s about literally anybody else as an idea.”

The 35-year-old added: “There really should be some outlet for people like me who are just so fed up with this constant power grab between the two parties that just has no benefit to the common person.”

So how does that actually work? Well, for an independent candidate from Texas to be able to to run for President, the person must submit a petition with 113,151 signatures from people who did not vote in the presidential primary of either the Democrats or Republicans by May.

Since this is unlikely, another option is for voters to just write down his name on the ballot paper, which is allowed in most states.

TDA asks