You may want to get your sweet tooth removed: the world is running out of chocolate—fast. Two of the world’s top chocolate producers, Mars Inc. and Barry Callebaut, have announced and warned about the decreasing supply of chocolate that is unable to meet the demands of the increasing population. The predicted run-out date is 2020—only 5 years away.

Why is this happening? There are many variables to the cause of this predicament. The main reason for the decrease in chocolate is the increase of penchant for the delectable treat. T

us, farmers and chocolate producers are unable to supply enough cocoa for increased demand.  Last year, the world ate about 70,000 metric tons more chocolate than it produced.

Another problem is a fungal disease called Frosty Pod that is wiping out some of the cocoa trees; in addition, dry weather and droughts are in West African regions, where 70 percent of the world’s cocoa bean trees are grown. To add to the dilemma, the Washington Post says, “Because of all this, cocoa farming has proven a particularly tough business, and many farmers have shifted to more profitable crops, like corn, as a result.”

What does this mean? For one, it results in increased chocolate prices. Since 2012, chocolate prices have risen by 60 percent—now the chocolate inflation is only going to get worse. With a lesser number of cocoa beans currently existing today than ever before, a number still ever decreasing, chocolate companies have already started to raise the prices of their chocolate incorporated products.

What is everyone trying to do to defuse it? Farmers have started cross-breeding cocoa trees, trying to create a more disease-resistant tree that can produce more cocoa beans with each harvest. Chocolate companies are going to try to use less cocoa in their products. According to ABC news, Mars Inc. and Cadbury, large chocolate companies, are “…training farmers in sustainable cacao cultivation and working with scientists to map the genome of the cocoa bean, which could help battle crop disease and perhaps even improve flavor.”

If you look at the big picture, a shortage in chocolate would not only mean candy bars will be endangered, but also the chocolate ice cream in the scorching heat of summer, the hot chocolate in the chilling coldness winter, the chocolate birthday cake, and Mom’s homemade brownies will be at risk.