Climate Crisis on Cocoa : Protecting Chocolate’s Future
Climate Crisis on Cocoa : Protecting Chocolate’s Future
Chocolate is part of daily life for many of us, we enjoy it, we gift it.
But behind this global habit hides a much darker reality. The main ingredient, cocoa, is in danger.
The main cause? Global warming.
A changing climate:
Cocoa, essential for making chocolate, grows in tropical regions like Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador.
To grow well and maintain good quality, cocoa trees need a warm, humid, and above all, stable climate.
But today, that stability is being disrupted — and it's directly affecting farmers.
"According to the International Cocoa Organization, global cocoa production dropped by 13.1% between 2023 and 2024, falling from 5.04 million tons to 4.38 million tons, equivalent to a drop from approximately 72 billion to 62.57 billion 70g chocolate bars
This drop is linked to extreme weather events: heavy rains, heat waves, and long droughts — especially in West Africa, which produces over 70% of the world’s cocoa.
In some areas, farms are losing up to 30% of their usual yield due to these changes.
Less cocoa, more problems:
When cocoa production drops and demand stays strong, shortages happen (see our article on the cocoa shortage).
And when there’s less supply, prices rise by +120% to +150% compared to the previous year.
In December 2024, cocoa even hit a record high of $12,906 per ton, a +310% increase from 2023.
And although it might seem like a great financial opportunity for farmers, the reality is that the benefit of higher prices is not going to them. In large companies, that extra profit is staying with the middle broker that sells the dried beans.
At Exquisito:
At Exquisito Chocolate, we work with farmers who are already facing these climate changes.
We’ve made a clear choice: never compromise on quality or our values.
Our cocoa comes from sustainable farms that use agroforestry systems, a way of farming that combines trees, crops, and sometimes animals on the same land. This helps create a more balanced and nature-friendly environment.
On these farms, cocoa grows in the shade of trees that protect the soil, keep moisture in the ground, and attract helpful wildlife like birds and pollinators. This kind of farming mimics natural forests, helping to preserve biodiversity, reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and capture carbon from the air.
Farmers use different techniques such as growing crops between rows of trees, raising animals among trees (silvopasture), or growing plants under forest trees. These methods allow them to produce high-quality cocoa while also harvesting other useful products like fruit, wood, or medicinal plants.
By choosing cocoa from these farms, we support a more natural type of agriculture that protects the planet and helps local communities make a better living from their work.
For us, it’s not a choice between the pleasure of chocolate and the health of the planet.
We believe you can have both.
In addition, our commitment to pay farmers above market price remains. Our purchasing model has always aimed to provide a stable and predictable income for farmers by not relying on the fluctuating prices of commodity cocoa bean prices. We value the hard work of farmers and want to support a sustainable business for them to continue harvesting for years to come.
Written by Noah from Exquisito Chocolates