West African Cocoa Crisis Threatens Chocolate Supplies and Prices Worldwide

Cocoa production in Ghana and Ivory Coast, which supply over 60% of the world's cocoa, is facing a crisis due to issues like illegal gold mining, climate change, mismanagement, and crop disease
Cocoa futures prices have more than doubled this year and keep hitting new highs due to expected cocoa bean shortages
Ghana estimates 590,000 hectares of its cocoa plantations are infected with swollen shoot disease which will eventually kill the trees
Experts say cocoa production in West Africa is in long-term decline, marking the possible end of the region's dominance in cocoa
As a result, chocolate prices for consumers have already risen over 10% in the last year and are expected to rise further, making chocolate a luxury item