Is the world heading for a massive chocolate shortage? A question that will surely devastate chocolate lovers around the globe. Two of the world's largest chocolate manufacturers recently revealed that global supplies of chocolates are becoming increasingly scarce.
The chocolate manufacturers revealed that due to the factors that affect cocoa crops like drought and disease, the world's chocolate supply is diminishing and consumers are just eating through the supply faster that makers can produce. Experts have predicted that by 2030, the worldwide chocolate shortage will be likely experienced.
According to the world's largest chocolate makers, Mars Inc. and Barry Callebaut, the world is in the midst of what could be the longest streak of consecutive chocolate scarcities in more than 50 years. The Washington Post reported the chocolate deficits, whereby the farmers produce less cocoa than the world consume, are becoming the norm.
Based on the data, the deficits are not just carrying over from year-to-year, and the industry are expecting them to upsurge. Last year, the world consume about 70,000 metric tons more cocoa than it produced. The chocolate manufacturers warned the number could rise to one million metric tons, which is an increase of 14-fold.
The world's largest chocolate confectioners also cautioned that by 2030, the gap could blow out to 2 million metric tons, and by that time, global chocolate scarcity will be experienced. According to CNBC News, chocolate prices have exploded by over 60 percent since 2012.
It seemed that worldwide chocolate shortage has become an endangered threat. This is due to dry weather, diseases and farmers opting to grow more profitable crops like corn. As reported by Fox 11, Ivory Coast and Ghana, where about 70 percent of the world's cocoa is produced there, are having unideal growing conditions for cocoa.
Because of the insatiable new markets and the displacement of cocoa by more-productive crops like corn and rubber, the demand is expected to exceed the supply of chocolates. Bloomberg reported efforts are underway to make chocolate cheap and abundant. However, the process unintentionally rendering it as tasteless that went from flavorful to forgettable on the road to abundance.
But there is still hope for chocolate lovers to remedy the looming worldwide chocolate shortage. The Washington Post added that an agricultural research group in Central Africa is developing trees that can produce up to seven times the amount of beans traditional cocoa trees can.
If the worldwide chocolate shortage continues along with the continuing price increase, the world's most commonly delectable treat will begin a journey of being just a thing in the past.
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