Lovers of chocolate, you might need to create a reserve stash. The effects of climate change could soon affect the production of cocoa, as two of the largest producers- Ghana and Côte d’ivoire– have experienced devastating levels of drought this year.
A virus known as ‘grows swollen’, which is carried by caterpillars has also been found in crops in these regions. This virus can be transferred to cacao trees and pose further threat to the supply of crops. The current supply is unable to meet the demand for cocoa and experts predict a shortage by 2020.
At salon du chocolat, which runs until 1 November in Paris, the agronomist Christian Cilas confirmed in Paris that there was ” a real risk of a shortage. “ To respond to the increasing global demand, cocoa growers are under pressure to produce as quickly as possible and often use less than favorable practices. These practices damage the soil and lead to deforestation and accelerate the effects of global warming.
The industry must make a choice between increasing the price of chocolate to reflect the cost of production or finding more sustainable substitutes for cocoa
Source: sherbrooktimes.com