The Choc-o-pocalypse

Cocoa pods on a tree (Image courtesy Wikipedia)

The world’s leading chocolate companies are warning that global chocolate production may be unable to keep pace with demand, potentially leading to worldwide chocolate shortages by 2020. Last year, the world consumed about 70,000 metric tons more chocolate than it produced. By 2020, that figure could reach 1 million metric tons. Producers have kept up with demand by draining stockpiles and stretching chocolate using fillers. But declining production as a result of disease, climate change, and political and social instability combined with increased demand from emerging economies and the fact that it takes up to 10 years before a cocoa tree begins to yield sizable output, could result in dramatic shortfalls.