I've been reading about the history of chocolate. Did you know the cacao tree only grows within 10' north and south of the equator? It is believed the tree originated in the Amazon, but it wasn't until it reached Mexico that is was cultivated as a crop. According to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, it was first cultivated over 3000 years ago by the Olmecs.
The beans were so highly prized by the Maya and Aztecs that they were used as a form of currency with a fixed monetary value. So you could buy a tamale for one bean, a rabbit for 10 or a slave for 100, or barter for the services of a prostitute for the evening with 8-10 beans! Interesting that a rabbit is worth more.....
So it seems, money CAN actually grow on trees!
Apparently over the last 6 years, the price of cocoa has doubled and a recent study suggested that in 20 years a $1 chocolate bar will cost $7 and will be like caviar, it will become so rare and expensive that many people won't be able to afford it. This is because native African farmers are turning their backs on such a demanding and labour-intensive crop in favour of palm oil which can be used as a biofuel.
Maybe cocoa might be a good investment for the future?
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