Loco for cocoa: Chocolate supply dwindling

Recently, there has been more reported incidents of chocolate shortages. The world’s population has had a recent increase in chocolate consumption. There is not enough cocoa production to fill the demand. Large chocolate producing companies, such as Mars Inc., and Barry Callebaut, have reported that, “people are eating too much chocolate.”

Last year, the world ate about 70,000 metric tons more chocolate than was produced. Chocolate producers warn that the the chocolate deficit could reach almost one million tons by 2020, and the lack of chocolate will continue to grow in the foreseeable future. Chocolate producers and companies estimate that chocolate will become as expensive and rare as caviar, many average people will not be able to afford it.

The reason chocolate is becoming scarce is because of shifting weather, disease, and human consumption. The weather in cocoa producing areas has become hotter. Drastic heat in these areas causes drought and also causes the cocoa trees to produce less. Over many years, a fungal disease known as frosty pod has wiped out as much as 30 to 40% of global cocoa production.

Humans have also contributed to wiping out a very large amount of chocolate. Over the past few years, China’s chocolate consumption has increased by almost 29%. The rising popularity of dark chocolate is also cutting into the chocolate supply. Dark chocolate requires a higher percentage of cocoa beans, which cuts down on supply quickly. Consumption has increased dramatically since chocolate became a popular candy. Cocoa farms and farmers cannot keep up with the demands of the modern age. Many cocoa trees are becoming too old for a good crop, and it takes around 10 years for a tree to produce good crops.

Many agricultural groups are working to fix this chocolate catastrophe. Some have even started trying to create new strands of cocoa to breed and create cocoa that can withstand disease and survive in hotter climates. However, many of these strands are almost tasteless. They do not possess the good taste and other redeeming characteristics that “natural” chocolate has. Other strands are being developed in place of these bland chocolates. Strands such as R-1, R-4, and R-6 have shown promise to yield many crops and have a much better taste than other strands of cocoa beans being produced.

As of now, it is pretty evident to cocoa producers that the future of chocolate is not looking very bright. Hopefully, the efforts made to produce a sustainable cocoa strand will work in everyone’s favor. Or else, the world may soon be facing a very unsettling lack of chocolate.