The $150 million World Bank assisted Commercial Agriculture Project has taken off in the 5 participating states of Nigeria, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Cross River and Kano.
During the just concluded First joint supervision mission of the Project, the Task Team Leader, Lucas Kolawole Akapa expressed satisfaction with the readiness and support of the participating states for the success of the $150 million project through the payment of their counterpart funds.
According to the World Bank sattement, the project will support three value chains per state as follows: Cross River, Oil palm, Cocoa and rice; Enugu is fruit trees, poultry and maize; Kaduna, fruit trees, Dairy and maize; Kano, rice, Dairy and maize and Lagos, poultry, aquaculture and rice.
The mission held interactive sessions as well as conducted field trips with Commodity Interest Groups (CIGs) and Commercial Agriculture Development Associations (CADAs) to assess their readiness and concerns.
Source: Vanguard/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX
Prices of cocoa, a key ingredient that gives the distinct flavour and taste to chocolates may be soaring through the roof but that hasn’t affected chocolate sales in some unexpected nations not known for heavy consumption of the sweets. And just in time for seasonal festivities, Mintel, a leading global provider of market intelligence on consumer, product and media reported that chocolate sales around the world have busted through the recession…and likely our belts as well!
“It’s clear that despite economic trouble this year, the world’s chocolate lovers didn’t deviate from their favorite treat. Chocolate is a small, affordable indulgence for shoppers who are cutting back on spending elsewhere. Even in countries not known for chocolate consumption, sales are on the rise”
In China and the Ukraine—two countries not necessarily recognized for their rampant chocoholic populations — chocolate confectionery sales rose 18% and 12%, respectively, this year. Each country has seen steady sales increases since 2005 and Mintel predicts continued growth through 2013.
Other countries have also seen chocolate bars, bags and boxes flying off the shelves, albeit at lower rates. Brits drove their chocolate market up 5.9% this year, while Americans purchased 2.6% more chocolate than in 2008. Argentinean sales rose 1.8% from 2008, while in Belgium, a country that claims to produce some of the world’s best chocolate, sales increased by 3.2%.
“It’s clear that despite economic trouble this year, the world’s chocolate lovers didn’t deviate from their favorite treat. Chocolate is a small, affordable indulgence for shoppers who are cutting back on spending elsewhere. Even in countries not known for chocolate consumption, sales are on the rise,” comments Marcia Mogelonsky, global food and drink analyst at Mintel.
It’s the Swiss who flash the most cash for chocolate, forking over the equivalent of US $206 per person per year. Brits and Belgians follow, spending US $106 and $90, respectively, to satisfy their chocolate cravings. In the US, individuals spend just $55 each, while Argentineans devote an average of US $35 per year on chocolate confectionery.
Manufacturers are determined to keep consumers melting over new chocolate varieties. Despite worldwide economic troubles, Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) reports that manufacturers launched nearly the same number of chocolate products this year as in 2008. In Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, companies have already released more new products than last year. (Businesswire)
Source: CHICAGO (Commodity Online):
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) researchers have confirmed that a diet rich in polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids, patented as an LMN diet, helps boost the production of the brain’s stem cells -neurogenesis- and strengthens their differentiation in different types of neuron cells. The research revealed that mice fed an LMN diet, when compared to those fed a control diet, have more cell proliferation in the two areas of the brain where neurogenesis is produced, the olfactory bulb and the hippocampus, both of which are greatly damaged in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. These results give support to the hypothesis that a diet made up of foods rich in these antioxidant substances could delay the onset of this disease or even slow down its evolution.
The study will be published in the December issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and was directed by Mercedes Unzeta, professor of the UAB Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Participating in the study were researchers from this department and from the departments of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, and of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, all of which are affiliated centres of the Institute of Neuroscience of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. The company La Morella Nuts from Reus and the ACE Foundation of the Catalan Institute of Applied Neurosciences also collaborated in the study.
Polyphenols can be found in tea, beer, grapes, wine, olive oil, cocoa, nuts and other fruits and vegetables. Polyunsaturated fatty acids can be found in blue fish and vegetables such as corn, soya beans, sunflowers and pumpkins. The LMN cream used in this study was composed of a mixture of natural products: dried fruits and nuts, coconut, vegetable oils rich in polyunsaturated fat and flour rich in soluble fiber. These creams were created and patented by the company La Morella Nuts, located in Reus near Tarragona. Previous studies had verified their effects on regulating cholesterol levels and hypertension, two risk factors commonly associated with heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Healthy Cacao
Cacao is one of the things that most people would think they could not have if they are trying to lose weight, this isn’t the case at all, in fact there have been studies done and the data showed that cacao can help reduce the appetite. Experts that have studied cacao do agree while there needs to be more studies done, this is one of the richest foods that can be used for dieting. This is because of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega fatty acids.
One study that was done was a four day study using lab rats and after the four days of being given large amounts o f theobrimine it showed favorable changes in their blood fats. The experts say there still is a large amount of research that needs to be done for conclusive results.
Cacao has been studied and is known to naturally have serotonin and for the person that has gained weight due to depression or anxiety, there is some evidence that by changing the serotonin level it can promote weight loss. The serotonin along with the omega fatty acids, the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals make cacao one of the best diet foods to promote a feeling of well being and other health benefits that the body often misses while dieting.
Politics: Senator Ensign May Have Broken Ethics, Laws
Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.) may have violated ethics laws, according to the New York Times. Senator Ensign has been mired in controversy since he admitted to an affair with a former staff member, Cynthia Hampton, in June. In July, Ensign also admitted that his parents gave a $96,000 “gift” to Hampton’s family, although he also stated that he had “done nothing legally wrong.”
Now, the New York Times is reporting that the Justice Department and the Senate Ethics Committee are expected to conduct and inquiry into Ensign’s efforts to cover up the affair. The inquiries will cover both federal laws and Senate Ethics rules.
If Ensign is investigated, the inquiries will likely focus on his dealings with Cynthia Hampton’s husband, Douglas Hampton. Mr. Hampton was also an employee of Ensign’s, his administrative assistant. Ensign has been accused of allowing Hampton to lobby his office immediately after Hampton left Ensign’s employ. This action would violate the senate’s one-year lobbying ban, and Ensign could face criminal charges if it is discovered that Ensign knew about or encouraged the lobbying ban.
Investigations into Ensign’s ethical conduct began in July, after allegations that Ensign’s parents’ $96,000 gift the Hampton family was borrowed from Senator Ensign’s campaign money. The Senate Ethics Committee’s inquiry will focus on whether that money was improperly spent, while Justice Department will focus on the lobbying ban, which could yield criminal charges.
Home Roasting Cocoa Beans
Many coffee enthusiasts roast their own coffee beans at home to ensure the highest degree of flavor and quality for themselves. If you are one of those people, you may be surprised to know that you can do exactly the same thing for cocoa beans. Even if you don’t, but just love the flavor of high-quality cocoa or chocolate, you follow some quick, easy steps to roast your own cocoa beans in the comfort of your kitchen.
The processes of roasting coffee and cocoa beans are nearly the same, with just one exceptions: because cocoa beans are more fragile than coffee beans, they have to be roasted at a much cooler temperature. While coffee beans are generally roasted at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit, cocoa beans should never get hotter than 325 degrees.
Other than that, the process is the same. As with coffee beans, they can be roasted in a variety of ways. They can be oven-roasted, air-roasted, drum-roasted in a gas grill, or coffee-roasted. They can even be roasted with a hot air gun. The important details aren’t in how they are roasted, but in the internal and external temperature.
To roast the beans, the first step is to put expose them to a high temperature, a little above 325 degrees, and then gradually lower that temperature of the course of five to 30 minutes (for best results, roast for at least 15 minutes). The point of lowering the temperature is to prevent burning of the outside of the beans while the inside gets appropriately hot. When the beans start to pop (from water evaporation), they are very close to being finished. You want to stop just after most are finished popping, but not so long after that they start to smell burnt. In the end, it’s a trial-and-error system that you will get better at as you gain experience roasting cocoa beans.
NBA Season Preview – Eastern Conference Predictions
3. Boston Celtics – Adding Rasheed Wallace set off an arms race in the East that the Celtics ultimately lost, although backup guard Marquis Daniels was a very nice addition. They’ll be the best defensive team in the league and a force in the playoffs, but age and injuries could slow them down in the regular season.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers – Lebron and crew are back, but whether the magic of last season also returns is an open question. Shaq will probably help less than expected, but Lebron’s brilliance will keep them in the championship running. At this point, it’s still Lebron and a bunch of role players, and even Jordan needed Pippen.
1. Orlando Magic – Hedo Turkoglu was overrated and demanding too much money, and Vince Carter is better in every aspect (even shooting and passing). Adding power player Brandon Bass and 6’10 sharpshooter Ryan Anderson were two underrated moves, and the Eastern champs managed to get better in every area of the game. They’ve tasted blood, and everyone from the ownership down seems completely committed.
6. Toronto Raptors – They had the most active summer in the league, and moved sideways more than up. They’re a team of great jump shooters with almost no defense. But when they get going, they’ll beat some teams they have no business competing with – and lose the same way. They’ll be fun in the season, and out quickly in the playoffs.
5. Chicago Bulls – They might have lost Gordon, but that will just put the ball in Rose’s hands more often. They got much better after the trade deadline last year, and bringing back Luol Deng will make them a much better team.
4. Atlanta Hawks – Had a great summer, and adding Crawford off the bench was one of the most underrated moves in the league. Problem is, they were already a level behind the top three, who all got better as well.
Healthy Raw Cacao Beans
Cocoa soared yesterday amid concerns of a strike on the Ivory Coast, the world’s largest cocoa producers. The union in charge of the strike, OPA, called for the strike, which aims to block all cocoa shipments, because of what it sees as inadequate government aid.
In response, both cocoa prices and futures rose dramatically, the former setting 29-year high and the latter setting a new 15-month high.
The OPA is the largest cocoa union in the country, and wields significant political power, but reports from the ground say that the strike hasn’t had much of an effect on the actual delivery of shipments.
“We received a fax yesterday (Monday) from the unions saying there are on strike and telling us to close our factories,” said a cocoa executive in San Pedro. “We’re continuing to work as normal. We’ve not seen anything resembling a strike on the ground. Everything is normal.”
The union, OPA, had been seeking to block all cocoa shipments in an effort to secure more government aid and curb some of the taxes that had been levied upon the industry. This comes in the wake of the Ivory Coast’s government lowering export tariffs to promote trade. The OPA does not believe that these tax breaks do enough to help the common worker. But there has been no evidence of it affecting the shipment or delivery of cocoa at all.
In other cocoa news, cocoa futures rose again yesterday to hit a new 15-month high. The industry is believed to be reacting to a perceived lack of supply, rather than the threat of a strike in the Ivory Coast.
NBA Season Preview – Eastern Conference Predictions
12. Indiana Pacers – They overachieved last year, but it’s hard to see them doing it again. Mike Dunleavy’s status is unknown, T.J. Ford is one of the most injury-prone guards in the league, and they lost his backup, Jarret Jack, to free agency. Danny Granger is the most unknown star in the league, but it’s doubtful that he’ll get as much better this year as he did last year.
11. Charlotte Bobcats – The most offensively challenged team in the league lost more offense in the Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler trade. They’ll be boring, but nearly dominant defensively, especially when Chandler plays power forward.
10. Detroit Pistons – In picking up Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, they became an excellent shooting team with no real defense. To top it off, Rip Hamilton and Gordon are two shooting guards unhappy with coming off the bench. This team no longer bears any resemblance to their championship team except for a decrepit Ben Wallace.
