---
title: Why You're Paying Less for Your Valentine's Chocolate This Year
description: A booming chocolate industry has led to the lowest cocoa futures since 2008, allowing candy-producers to cut costs ahead of Valentine's Day
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published: '2017-02-13T21:06:57.000Z'
modified: '2024-04-17T05:12:44.000Z'
section: Lifestyle
tags:
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  - Valentine's Day
word_count: 168
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![Chocolates in box](https://img.money.com/2017/02/chocolate-box.jpg)

Good news for romantics ahead of this year's [Valentine's Day](http://motto.time.com/4645694/valentines-day-gift-guides-food/): A box of chocolate should cost less than usual.

A flourishing cocoa industry throughout Latin America and West Africa has led to the lowest cocoa futures since 2008, allowing [candy producers](https://money.com/mondelez-oreos-hiring-professional-chocolate-taster-job/) to cut costs, according to [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-12/valentine-s-chocolate-gets-cheaper-as-global-cocoa-supply-swells).

A bountiful harvest in the chocolate-producing regions, which Bloomberg says accounts for 70% of global production, means that output has increased and prices have dropped.

The booming cocoa returns might be attributed to the industry's decision to breed a hybrid Cacao tree called CCN51. The strain has a noticeable downgrade in taste, but is resistant to plant-crippling diseases and [produces nearly seven times more beans](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-11-14/to-save-chocolate-scientists-develop-new-breeds-of-cacao) than some traditional Cacao species.

Chocolate will be in demand as usual this Valentine's Day. A [survey from the National Confectioners Association](http://www.candyusa.com/news/70-u-s-shoppers-give-candy-chocolate-valentines-day/) found that 70% of Americans plan on giving chocolate or candy to their special someone. And as long as traders continue to push cocoa prices down, the savings could continue past Feb. 14.

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