Deadly violence in Ivory Coast has shut down cocoa exports from the world’s largest producer, closing ports that ship more than 40 percent of the world’s raw material for chocolate ...

The price of cocoa in the commodities markets has risen nearly 50% - December futures are priced at over $1800 per metric ton - from its low in the early summer. Most companies have stockpiles of cacao to cushion themselves against these kinds of problems and price fluctuations, but if the conflict continues for any length of time, the price of chocolate could be affected.

Other countries in the region fear that the ongoing conflict in Ivory Coast could destabilize the region. This could further endanger cocoa shipments as the second-largest producer in the world, Ghana, is right next door. Collectively, Western Africa produces over 75% of the world’s cocoa.

Here’s the wire story over at Yahoo.