Chocolate calamity coming our way?
Adam Kelly, Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of interactive.aljazeera.com
Is it possible that the production of chocolate could cease in the next few years? According to Monica Pelliccia and Daniela Frechero, there is a chance. In their article, A world without chocolate, Pellicia and Frechero discuss the issues of cocoa production and distribution as well as covering how it has affected different countries around the world.
The problem is not as big as people make it out to be, but it became known when the national cocoa producing company Barry Callebaut released an analysis of the deficit and surplus of cocoa production. It is evident that numbers on both sides have decreased, but the outcome in the next few years is not clear.
Pelliccia and Frechero talk about Brazil first, and how it is known as a huge cocoa producer for business around the world. After the spread of witches-broom-disease (deformity in trees and shrubs from stress), it ruined farms and put people out of business.
Although this disease has caused many problems amongst cocoa farmers, the people of Brazil have started their own companies, which means that they can run it themselves without having a higher-up giving commands and allowing more freedom to the producers.
Next they discuss Ecuador, which has greatly been affected by El Nino, a climate change that causes prolonged rain and droughts. This becomes a problem for cocoa farmers when the plants receive too much rain or none at all.
The abnormal change in weather pushes production of cocoa back because farmers have to recover from the damage El Nino has dealt to the plants. Now that people are aware of the problem, farmers are creating precautions like drains for excess water coming in.
Lastly, Pelliccia and Frechero go east towards India and their increased consumption of the candy. Chocolate was previously given and received on special occasions to the people of India, but consumption has increased to more than just holidays and will continue to in the coming years.
The western part of the world has affected Indian culture and this contributes to the increased consumption of chocolate in the country. Now, chocolate is given as an offering to Indian deities as well as gifts rather than traditional Indian sweets.
No matter where you look, chocolate has affected every part of the world in different ways. It is becoming more popular in the east, which means that demand is increasing. The question that remains is whether supply can begin to increase or the world might be losing an all-time favorite treat.
