But he said chocolate will certainly become more expensive if demand continues to rise and climate change causes shortages of cocoa, making it a luxury item.  “If the demand of cocoa keeps growing and the land suitable to grow cocoa decreases the prices will go up,” he said.  Recent political upheavals in West Africa have already pushed up the price by 10 per cent on the trading floor top almost £2,000 per tonne. Higher demand and shortages due to climate change will push up the price further, eventually forcing retailers to put up the price of chocolate bars.  Cadbury and Nestlé have recently pushed up the recommended retail price of top-selling confectionery in the UK such as Dairy Milk, Wispa, Kit Kat and Yorkie by up to 7 per cent – more than double the rate of inflation.  Cocoa trees need a cool climate to thrive and could be moved further up into higher land but since West Africa is fairly flat the potential for this is limited.  The study proposes finding new heat and drought resistant crops and growing more cocoa in the shade.  Ultimately, however farmers will have to branch out from cocoa and diversify with crops that can sustain hotter temperatures in order to survive.  Fair trade chocolate suppliers have long argued that cocoa production should be more focused on high quality production rather than mass plantations. This would allow a better price for farmers, discourage child labour and encourage more diverse farming practices.  The study is not the first time it has been claimed a favourite food is threatened by global warming. Other products reportedly affected by climate change include French wine, and Italian pasta.
Enjoy your festive treats while you can, chocolate could once again become an   expensive luxury item due to climate change, according to a new study.