The world is going to run out of chocolate

To all the chocoholics out there we have some bad news for you.

It’s time to stock up on all things sweet because experts have predicted that the world could run out of chocolate within the next 40 years.

But how is that even possible you might ask?

Well, the cacao plants needed to make our favourite treats can only grow within approximately 20 degrees north and south of the Equator, but are struggling to survive as the climate warms up.

And according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a temperature-rise of just 2.1C over the next 30 years will spell bad news for the plants, and chocolate lovers everywhere.

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With demand increasing every year, the supply has not been able to keep up.

Research titled Destruction by Chocolate found that a typical western consumer chocolate eats an average of 286 chocolate bars a year - more if they are from Belgium.

In order to make the cocoa and butter required for that one person, producers need to plant 10 cacao trees.

But in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana they are fast running out of usable farm land with officials now facing a dilemma of whether to move into terrain which is currently preserved for wildlife.

“All the indicators are that we could be looking at a chocolate deficit of 100,000 tonnes a year in the next few years,” Doug Hawkins, from London-based research firm Hardman Agribusiness, told the Daily Mail.

Given that time seems to be going ever faster, 2050 really isn’t that far away.

So enjoy your chocolate while it lasts!

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