"Cocoa Crisis: Rising Easter Egg Costs and Short Supply Threaten Chocolate Industry"

Climate change-induced extreme weather, including a humid heatwave and El Niño, has severely impacted cocoa crops in West Africa, leading to a shortage and a significant rise in cocoa prices. This has resulted in a 50% or more increase in the cost of popular Easter eggs. The high temperatures, exacerbated by human-induced climate change, have caused a decline in cocoa yields, while intense rains have led to the spread of a fungal infection. As a result, chocolate makers are facing higher costs, and farmers in West Africa, who rely on cocoa for their income, are feeling the brunt of these price fluctuations.