Global Crisis Brewing for Cocoa Growers

MIAMI—Experts are predicting a global cocoa production crisis due to aging trees, crop disease and lower crop yields in the biggest producing countries, including Ivory Coast, Ghana and Indonesia, reported FLEXNEWS.

Cocoa yields have fallen in Indonesia's top growing region Sulawesi due to the disease cocoa pod borer and aging trees, said Peter Petersen of the Olam Group, speaking on a panel at the Cocoa Merchants' Association of America International Cocoa Conference.

Production in Sulawesi fell 45 percent in the 2007/08 crop year, from 2005/06, and has shown no sign of recovery in 2008/09, he said.