04/13/09 02:46:11PM @islareina:
Thanks for the clarification -- I had no idea!
04/13/09 11:31:42AM @clay:
This is not news - it's irresponsible reporting.Witches Broom has been a problem in Brazil for more than 20 years -at one point cacao production dropped to 15% of former levels. CSSV has been a problem in Western Africa for some time.In fact, depending on which country you're talking about, annual cacao crop losses due to diseases and pest are 30-70%. This is not new news.The referenced article (also on the Telegraph - in 2004) states, "The price of chocolate bars could soar if diseases that have devastated South America's cocoa crops are allowed to spread to other parts of the world, a scientist has warned."
Thanks for the clarification -- I had no idea!
This is not news - it's irresponsible reporting.Witches Broom has been a problem in Brazil for more than 20 years -at one point cacao production dropped to 15% of former levels. CSSV has been a problem in Western Africa for some time.In fact, depending on which country you're talking about, annual cacao crop losses due to diseases and pest are 30-70%. This is not new news.The referenced article (also on the Telegraph - in 2004) states, "The price of chocolate bars could soar if diseases that have devastated South America's cocoa crops are allowed to spread to other parts of the world, a scientist has warned."