The high temperatures recorded in recent weeks in West Africa have jeopardized chocolate production, as this region produces 70% of the world’s cocoa.
According to Climate Central, a group of climate change specialists, excessive heat, diseases, and heavy rains in recent years have contributed to the fall in production of this product and, in turn, to its price rise.
The report of this organization explains that “climate change, mainly due to the burning of oil, coal and methane gas, is causing higher temperatures to be more frequent” in places such as Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Ghana, especially in the latter two.
The analysis focused on 44 of the main cocoa-producing regions, where it was found that, during the last decade, the climate crisis had caused three more weeks of temperatures above 32 °C (ideal temperature for the growth of this food).
In addition, researchers pointed out that changes in rainfall patterns, as well as cochineal infestations, smuggling, and illegal mining, have directly affected production.
All of this has caused the price of a ton of this product to exceed 10 thousand dollars in New York when years ago it was between two and three thousand dollars.
According to researchers, if these conditions persist, cocoa producers could use shoots of plants that are more resistant to heat and atypical rains, as well as plant taller trees among the cocoa to create shade and shift production to areas where conditions are better than the current ones. However, this alternative is not so viable, especially for small producers, since these are very expensive and specialized.
With information from AFP
San Miguel Times
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