Environment

Death of Chocolate?

by TFleming | February 16, 2009 at 09:33 am

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It's hard to believe but some scientists are claiming that chocolate will become as rare and expensive as caviar in the next 20 years. The study comes from the Ghana-based Nature Conservation Research Center who are blaming changing climate for affecting the farming and production of the cocoa plant.

Howard Shapiro, global director for plant science and external research for confectionery manufacturing Mars Inc. of McLean, Va., said measures must be taken soon to prevent shortages of chocolate.

"If nothing was done, and the temperature was to rise, and the rainfalls were to change and drought became more prevalent ... without looking into new farming practices, then there should be a problem, and there might likely be a problem," he said.

Before you panic lets take into consideration that chocolate has been around for more than 3,100 years and has survived dramatic climate change before. In it's earlier days chocolate was consumed as a beer-like beverage and was flavoured with chili water, flowers, vanilla and wild bee honey.

It's hard to picture a world without heart shaped boxes of chocolate on Valentine's Day or chocolate eggs on Easter but if we do not moniter the sustainability of the plant than it may become a reality.

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tikun

at 10:25 on February 16th, 2009

What am I going to do with out my Chocolate Buddha.?

odwallace

at 10:30 on February 16th, 2009

I was lucky enough to be in Florence during the weekend of the Artisan Chocolate Festival in January. I stumbled up these wonderfully adorable sheep, and other chocolate animals and had to take a picture. I also had to eat one or two...

If you are wondering, the chocolate was the best I have had in my entire life. I'm bringing a bag home with me that I've been keeping in the fridge!

odwallace has contributed a photo to this story.

A. Tran

at 11:40 on February 16th, 2009

Although some three-quarters of the world's cocoa comes from West Africa, there are other developing countries around the world that also produce cocoa, and recently, Ecuador.