This shortfall is being anticipated to last through 2018. It is possible that the deficit will increase more than 14-fold by 2020. By 2030, the shortage will reach two million metric tons, says the Washington Post.
According to a study published in Scientific Reports, future chocolate production can be spearheaded by using mangoes.
Sayma Akhter, research's senior author, shared that wild mango is a Cinderella species whose real potential is unrealized.
With a decrease in global cocoa supply comes a high and persistent demand in the market. There are a handful of factors affecting the circumstance but climate and crop failures are easily on top of the list.
Unfair labor practices including employing child laborers and underpaying workers have also discouraged farmers from pursuing tasks in the field. According to the International Cocoa Organization, the price of cocoa butter has doubled between 2005 and 2015.
The study quipped that wild mango butter can be similar to cocoa chemically and physically, which is why the option to use it as a replacement is high.
Practically, the potential commercial benefits of the fruit can heighten conservation efforts considering that the demand for such will climb in the coming years.
For Morag McDonald of Bangor University, mango is an important source of food, medicine and income for rural people. The professor also declared that adding value to underutilized products through processing for products that have market value can generate a valuable incentive for the conservation of such species, and help to generate alternative income sources and reduce poverty.
However, it is in decline because of reasons such as deforestation. With the fruit getting renewed attention, steps to protect and conserve it will be pursued.
