Scientists Sequence Superior Quality Cacao DNA | Will Raiders Get A Sweet Tooth?

Scientists have sequenced the DNA of a variety of ‘theobroma cacao’, considered to produce the world’s finest chocolate.

According to Science Daily, “fungal diseases can destroy seed-bearing pods and wipe out up to 80 percent of the crop, and cause an estimated $700 million in losses each year.”

By sequencing the cacao genome, the US Department of Agriculture may help insure the supply of high-quality cacao to the $17 billion American chocolate industry.

Worldwide demand for cacao now exceeds demand, a reality prompting commodities trader Anthony to try to corner the global chocolate market.

As long we we keep commodity’s trader Anthony Ward away from poor farmers who will benefit from this scientific advancement, the world may have a win-win for truly free markets.

The Ivory Coast, producer of 40% of the global cacao supply had a much stronger than predicted cacao season, ending Mr. Ward’s anticipation of causing an international shortage of cacao, a critical health and libido-boosting food.

Let’s hope Ward is on to corn flakes, known to be a libido-depressing food, leaving chocolate lovers alone. Presently fine cocoa production is about 5 percent of global cacao production. Currently most cacao farmers earn about $2 a day, but fine chocolate commands a higher price.

Mother Nature highly approves of this development because not only is dark-cacao full of outstanding health benefits which help heart, brain and sex organ circulation, but because the high-quality chocolate is good for the environment. (Note: we’re talking European dark chocolate, not American dark chocolate where the American candy lobby has bought off Congress, allowing much lower US standards to label a product ‘dark chocolate”. )

Mother Nature is thrilled because high-quality cacao trees grow best under forest shade, allowing for land rehabilitation and enriched biodiversity. Not mentioned in the Science Daily PR post is the fact the birds will also live.

We’re wiping out birds everywhere, cutting down the trees, so they have no place to roost when flying south for the winter. Shade grown coffee and other crops are good for birds. Expanded cacao production could create a new level for love birds.

All in all, it’s a good day for high quality chocolate lovers and poor chocolate farmers besides, as long as we keep the add-nothing of value, financial big-wigs out of the chocolate picture.

More chocolate stories.