How We Saved The Cocoa Trees From Hurricane Irma
We’re living in a world where sources of life, once deemed bountiful and fruitful, are diminishing and becoming scarce at a rate too fast to remain calm about.
Water is becoming a rare commodity, oil is running low and coal is being drained from the world.
There is a sad truth that even the root of where chocolate comes from is dwindling and researchers are doing what they can to prevent our beloved treat from ceasing to exist.
Combine inconsistent rains with harsh weather conditions, hurricanes and pests, it is very likely that chocolate could be considered a “rare delicacy” by 2020.
The State of The Cocoa Tree
Chocolate consumption has reached a point where it surpassed chocolate production translating to the comparison of chocolate being on the same level of caviar in terms of exclusivity with affordability.
An insane thought to comprehend.
That only the rich would be able to taste and enjoy the fruit that the cocoa trees ultimately deliver, chocolate.
Chocolate, and the production of it, plays a colossal role around the world.
Not only is the production of cocoa necessary for millions of farmers to sustain their families but 15% of the Ivory Coast’s GDP stems from farming the cacao seeds, further illustrating the massive impact and value that the cocoa tree beholds.
What’s Being Done
Scientists are racing to find ways to save the cocoa tree so future generations can enjoy the delicious sweet just like you and I had the privilege to.
Chocolate powerhouse Mar, Incorporated has “sequenced the cacao genome in attempt to find ways to breed hardier trees” according to the Scientific American.
This is a crucial attempt from the company to increase yields and to improve the overall livelihood of cocoa farmers.
Whether or not it’ll succeed remains to be seen.
Chocolate comes from the Theobroma Cacao tree which normally thrives in a rainforest habitat scattered throughout the tropics.
The trees also need to be grown in an area near the equator in order to successfully grow as the require “tropical rains” and shade making the available options pretty limited.
However, despite the fact that “Miami is a few degrees north of that tropical band, cacao can be grown in South Florida given attention to a few specific conditions.”
Weather conditions have to be ideal for any hope of manufacturing chocolate.
The same article from Scientific American listed above also exclaims how the conditions needed to grow the plant and harvest chocolate are becoming worse and worse.
It elaborates how “weather extremes such as floods, droughts and windstorms have always made farming in the tropics difficult. Climate change is beginning to intensify these extremes.”
Overcoming the climate conditions is challenging enough, but when you mix in a potentially catastrophic hurricane, like that of Hurricane Irma, things get immensely more complicated.
It’s clear enough that Cocoa trees are extremely valuable and the work that is being put forth in order to preserve the availability of chocolate is impressive.
It’s also clear and goes without saying that protecting these trees at all costs is crucial and imperative.
How DGD Saved the Cocoa Trees From Hurricane Irma
That is exactly what the team at DGD Transport did for the chocolate kingpins Mars, Inc. They saved the cocoa trees.
When news that the Category 5 Hurricane Irma was approaching South Florida, specifically Miami, the state went into a usual frenzy that has become a commonality for hurricane season.
Grocery stores going barin, gas stations being drained of fuel & sandbags becoming worth their weight in gold are instances South Floridians are all too familiar with.
However, when DGD was contacted by Mars Chocolate and informed that the chocolate corporation had two containers that contain the special cocoa plants, they sprung into action.
Mars alerted them and explained the gravity of the situation. In order to protect the plants at all costs the plants needed to escape the storm and needed to flee Florida and be shipped to Albany, Georgia
DGD’s dedicated and superlative staff responded by not only getting the plants to a safe habitat in Georgia in under 24 hours, thus saving the containers from total devastation, but allowed their client, Mars, Inc., to track the load via their integrated tracking hub the entire way giving them complete and utter peace of mind.
DGD dealt with the chaos and absolute disarray that Florida, who was in a state of emergency, was exuding and safely and soundly got the job done.
They responded by accomplishing the following:
- With a wrecker, they moved the containers from under the trees in old cutler bay
- With a crane they lifted the container onto their chassis.
- As mentioned before, got the job done while allowing Mars to track the entire trip and being notified of every step along the way.
DGD treats every customer with the highest quality service which is easily exemplified through their customer service and technical professionalism that allowed them to save the chocolate and to complete a job very few companies could.
For customer care and service simply unmatched by competitors, contact the team at DGD and see firsthand how they can go above and beyond for you.
