chocolate chipsStart stocking that fallout shelter that you got back in 1975 because I do believe, my friends, we are on the brink of an apocalypse. At least those of us with a serious sweet tooth are. Not only are there maple syrup and honey shortages, we now have a chocolate shortage.

There is no reason to live!

According to the Cocoa Research Association, we're consuming more chocolate than we're producing cocoa, which, in itself, is already ridiculously difficult to harvest. They've even gone as far as to compare the future of chocolate to caviar, saying that in 20 years, it will become so rare and so expensive that the average person will be unable to afford it.

No chocolate chip cookies? No Snickers? No hot chocolate? That's like taking a big chunk out of the food pyramid (well, my food pyramid). Who could possibly live in a world like that? Who would want to?

We have 20 years until it will become a serious issue -- so, what's the game plan? Right now, scientists from rival companies Mars, Inc. (maker of M&Ms) and Hershey have joined together (see? This is serious, y'all!) and are coming up with a special genome sequence for the cacao tree. They are taking information about the plant's genetic code and searching for genes that produce desirable traits that help make the plant stronger and more disease-resistant. Which will (hopefully) produce super cacao trees that can combat with the shortage and handle the world's demand of chocolate.

Fingers crossed that this works, but I'm still hoarding my Butterfingers.

Would a chocolate shortage affect you?

 

Image via SarahMcManiham/Flickr