The climate crisis is pushing temperatures into uncharted territories across the globe. It is also hurting the region responsible for about 70% of global cacao production, hitting harvests and probably causing further record chocolate prices.
Farmers in the region are struggling because of heat, disease and unusual precipitation. These factors are causing a significant drop in production. The decline is also pushing cocoa prices higher. Cocoa is the main ingredient in chocolate.
Climate change is causing hotter temperatures to become more frequent in places such as Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria, according to a recent study by the independent research group Climate Central. This is concerning.
Besides higher temperatures because of climate change, many other factors are also potentially harming cacao trees and boosting prices, such as rainfall patterns, mealybug infestations, smuggling and illegal mining.
