While cocoa prices are reaching heights on the world market, a new trend is settling in Madagascar: the proliferation of chocolate products without cocoa. A worrying phenomenon, carried by pseudo-chocolate makers who flood the local market with cheap products, sometimes sold at the same price as the kilo of cocoa beans-an economic absurdity which hides a disturbing reality. Behind these surprisingly low prices hide substitutes of poor quality, often composed of inexpensive vegetable fats, such as palm oil, and artificial aromas. The total absence of cocoa or the use of fermented ingredients, such as barley or fairyles, without real traceability, raises questions not only taste but also sanitary. This drift is all the more worrying since it directly threatens the local cocoa sector.
A reputation to preserve
While the Malagasy planters hope to take advantage of the rise in courses, it is mainly the collectors and opportunistic producers who benefit from the situation. Worse, the invasion of low -end chocolates risks eroding the reputation of the Malagasy cocoa, recognized worldwide for its finesse. At a time when some European countries experience substitutes for ecological or economic reasons, Madagascar must remain vigilant. The absence of strict regulation opens the door to confusion on the market and a loss of consumer confidence. In short, preserving the authenticity and the quality of the Malagasy chocolate is more than ever a strategic issue for the Grande-Île.
Antsa r.
