With the arrival of Easter, the demand for eggs or chocolate bars grows a lot. And, almost as an annual habit, consumers are often shocked by the values. In recent years, there is a reason for this: the climate crisis makes prices more expensive by harming cocoa plantations around the world.
In general, cacao trees grow in a narrow band of about 20° latitude around the Equator. Therefore, the largest cocoa producers in the world are countries located in this region.
At the ranking, West African nations like Ivory Coast and Ghana are at the top. Brazil is in sixth place, according to data from ICCO (International Cocoa Organization).
Although it is one of the largest producers, the country is still not self-sufficient, so it still imports cocoa beans from other nations. Therefore, what happens in other plantations in relation to the weather and more expensive prices at Easter can also affect the products of chocolate sold in Brazil.
Climate change and El Niño
With the increase in episodes of extreme heat as a result of climate change, cocoa plantations in West Africa — where most of the chocolate comes — suffered important losses.
This is because temperatures exceeded 40°C, breaking records in countries such as Ivory Coast and Ghana. With so much heat, the evaporation rate increased and the cocoa trees lost moisture.
Another factor that impacted plantations was El Niño. Active since June last year, the climate phenomenon also influenced the frequency of heat waves and humidity.
In December last year, Ivory Coast and Ghana also experienced intense rain. Overall, total rainfall in West Africa was more than double the average for the time.
As a result, the cocoa trees faced a fungal infection that made the cocoa beans cocoa rot in the trees.
As highlighted by BBC, The shortage of cocoa resulting from climate impacts caused prices for the fruit to soar to almost US$8,500 (R$42,300, in direct conversion) per ton. Famous chocolate brands such as Hershey and Lindt have warned that the increase in the value of cocoa would be reflected in the price of chocolates.
In Brazil, the increase in the value of the Easter egg, for suppliers, was 18% compared to 2023. This, of course, ends up weighing on the final consumer’s bill.
