My wife and I like chocolate---a lot. When we lived in Europe we made it a point to sample both mass produced chocolate bars and elite chocolate confections made in every country we visited. At one point, we had thought of writing a book titled “Europe on 10,000 Calories a Day.” So, we were concerned when we first began to see news reports of an impending “chocopalypse” or worldwide shortage of chocolate. As reported in The Wall Street Journal, in 2015 worldwide demand for chocolate grew .6% led by a surge in demand in Asia, while cocoa production fell 3.9%. Cocoa is the seed from which cocoa solids and butter, the ingredients from which chocolate is made, is extracted. As supply has not been able to keep up with the demand, prices for cocoa have risen nearly 40% over the past three years. Unfortunately, many cocoa farmers have not been able to increase production primarily because of poor agricultural practices. Approximately 60% of the world’s cocoa is produced in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. There, many farmers are plagued by antiquated farming practices, old trees, depleted soils, and oscillating government policies.
The world’s largest chocolate manufacturers, alarmed by the trend, have taken action. In 2014, the 10 largest chocolate producers and cocoa processors agreed to begin sharing information on farming practices and crop yields. The consortium has committed approximately one billion dollars to help farmers improve yields. Teams of scientists and agricultural experts paid for by the consortium visit local farmers across the world and instruct them on best techniques for planting and spacing of trees, and pruning, grafting, watering, and fertilizing techniques. The initial results have been impressive. Yields in the Ivory Coast have jumped in the past two years. However, this is balanced by poor yields in Ghana. Experts suggest that if all farmers in Ghana and the Ivory Coast followed best practices, yields could double.
I certainly hope the consortium is successful. Success would benefit everyone. Farmers could increase yields and make more money, the chocolate manufacturers would have a stable supply of ingredients, and consumers, such as myself will continue to delight in the never-ending array of delicious chocolate confections.
