Photo courtesy of wisegeek.com
By: Haley Putnam
The world is being plagued with a chocolate lover’s worst nightmare: no more chocolate, at least not for the common individual.
The ingredients used to produce the delicious treat, such as cocoa beans, are no longer going to be available. According to India’s online newspaper, The Indian Express, the current supply will only last until the year 2020 and there is no known solution at this time.
The source also says that chocolate production prices have risen by more than 25 percent, and the price of cocoa butter, the vegetable fat that is extracted from the cocoa bean and makes up more than a quarter of every chocolate bar, has reached a 4-year high, and another major component, whole milk powder, has risen more than 20 percent.
European and other countries are already dealing with a shortage of the popular chocolate bar known as Green & Black’s almond bar, due to a nut shortage in addition to the chocolate scarcity.
Experts say if a chocolate “famine” does come to pass, consumers will be willing to pay up to $50 per pound for chocolate, which adds up to nearly $5 per chocolate bar.
Some people are willing to do anything for their sweet tooth.