One of 2018’s Saddest News Updates Is Here And Concerns Chocolate

With its fascinating taste, worldwide appeal and intoxicating charm, it is indeed one of the world’s loveliest snacks, ever. Truth be told, there’s no particular time for savouring its melting taste and voraciously delightful flavour. You can tug into a bite of it but just a bite is hardly ever enough. It is, in essence, an ‘anytime’ of the day kind of snack. It is a leading constituent of one of Switzerland’s burgeoning globetrotting trade, your girlfriend’s favourite companion to a meal, perhaps the delight that even the elderly chase, long after losing their promising toothed power. Above all, it is a promising way to mend a broken heart; a bright recourse to unlocking the key to the heart.

But now, news surrounding chocolate and its production is perhaps a concerning one. One of the most reeling aches of our time; in this part of the 21st century is global warming- resulting from climate change. The truth certainly is that in the several years from now, one may just not find any chocolate being around anymore.

Confused? Worried? Honestly, there’s reason to be so. Experts and scientists around the world have begun raising concern alarming eaters; fans, lovers and admirers; of chocolate stating that there may not be any left in thirty years from now. There’s enough reason to believe that the crop responsible for chocolate’s growth will be much harder to grow as the climate around the world begins to grow more and more warmer.

To understand the matter, we must delve a bit deeper. It is important to remember that chocolate comes from cocoa- its principal source- which in turn, is produced from the seeds of the cacao tree. The cacao tree- a vital cash crop of the world- thrives only in humid rainforest-like conditions. These are found in places close to the equator. But this plant is a somewhat fragile one and is already coming under threat of the planet’s increasingly warm climate.

So is that all? Nope. At present, more than half of the world’s cocoa production happens from two pivotal West African nations. It is common knowledge that Ivory Coast and Ghana are centres of massive cocoa production. In here lies the crux of the malaise concerning chocolate production. The regions including Ivory Coast and Ghana are under an immense geographical challenge, being hit by draughts. In future, rising temperatures (according to forecasts) are set to dent a massive blow to cocoa production in these select geographies.

In this situation, farmers working here would be left with no choice but to move crops to a higher ground. This will definitely turn out to be tough as not only is there limited available space for cocoa farming with areas being protected for wildlife conservation. At present, stockpiles of cocoa are running low and the growing ill effects of climate change on yields could add to a serious cocoa shortage.