Climate change: Coffee and tomatoes among the foods on the decline

Winds, droughts, and heavy storms are affecting key agricultural regions
around the world, causing many farms to fall short of their required
product demand. But how exactly is climate change affecting some of our
most loved produce and what does this mean for the future of the crops? CIA
Landlords have researched the foods that are most affected by climate change.

Tomatoes in Italy

Italy is the largest tomato producer in Europe, supplying an average of 6 -
7 million metric tons per year. However last year, farms in Northern Italy
were 19% under the contracted volumes and sadly, this is expected to
decline even further. This is because the climate, that was once a warm
paradise perfect to grow the fruit, is now becoming colder and more
susceptible to rain. These lower temperatures are slowing the ripening
process of the fruit, and in 2019 less than half of the contracted volumes
were produced on time. If this continues to happen, the supermarket prices
will continue to increase and we could begin to see shortages on the
shelves.

Italy’s forests have also declined in recent years because cows in Italy,
which are used to produce ‘fine leather goods,’ are needing the space to be
reared. This, in turn, has decreased the amount of oxygen and CO2 in the
air. This will have a negative effect on citizens' health - polluted air
can not just exacerbate existing respiratory illnesses but also cause them.

Almonds in California

California grows 80% of the world’s export of almonds and the state’s
industry is now worth $6 billion. However, the growing process of almonds
is lengthy and requires a lot of both physical and human energy. California
uses 60% of the honeybee hives in the country just for almond pollination
each winter, and the cost of transporting the bees, and keeping them in
cold storage until this point means that the carbon footprint of almond
production is huge.

Almonds also require the most water to grow out of all nuts, just one seed
needs 3.2 gallons to reach the size needed in order to be turned to milk.
This is becoming increasingly difficult as the popularity of almond milk
has risen - this diary alternative makes up 63% of the plant-based milk
market. However, droughts across California are causing farmers to abandon
their orchards as there is barely enough water to sustain them. The
droughts have also meant farmers are having to treat the almonds with
different pesticides, some of which are deadly for honeybees, an already
endangered species. As a result California could begin to see a decline in
greenery and flowers, that the bees would have pollinated, and the price of
almonds could rise.

Soybeans in Brazil

The weather in Brazil is becoming hotter and drier. But with soybeans
growing best in warm and moist climates, farmers are having to adapt how
they grow the crop. By using different pesticides, and forcing the plants
to become more tolerant of different climates, farmers have been able to
effectively increase the amount of soybeans produced. However, this is not
sustainable as the climate will continue to worsen. Consequently, it is
forecasted that the soybean production will decrease by 86–92% by 2050.

Soybean plants also require lots of space, and land throughout Brazil has
been deforested to make way for rows upon rows of the crop. This has
occurred most in the Amazon, where mass fires have been lit to make room
for the crops, as a result scientists have confirmed the rainforest now
emits more CO2 than it absorbs. This is a global problem as we rely upon
the Amazon to provide us with 6% of the world’s oxygen supply and to keep
carbon out of the atmosphere. If we continue to destroy this space, the air
quality of our planet will decrease and global warming will be exacerbated.
This will present itself in increased temperatures, changing rainfall
patterns and biodiversity and agriculture will decline around the world.

Coffee in Brazil

The production of one of the world’s most loved drinks, coffee, is expected
to reduce by 76% in Brazil alone in years to come. This is because coffee
plants grow at their best in moist, tropical climates, with soils and
temperatures that reach around 21°C. However, climate change is drying the
air in Brazil, making the climate less than ideal for growth, causing a
decline in coffee bean production. But it is not all sad news for the latte
lovers out there as Italy is hoping to be able to produce the nation's
favourite bean soon due to their rising temperature.

Hazelnuts in Turkey

Turkey is the main producer of hazelnuts, with Italian confectionery giant
Ferrero Group depending on the country for 80% of the nut for their various
sweet treats, including the Ferrero Rocher. The country also accounts for 82%
of global exports

of the nut, meaning an immense number has to be produced each year in order
to meet demand. But the erratic, and unpredictable weather that Italy has
been facing has caused a decline in hazelnut growth. In 2018 forest fires
broke out on the Mediterranean coast, where many of the farms are, whilst
devastating floods hit the north. This caused droughts on the farms and
many of the hazel flowers failed to bloom.

There are many other foods that have been affected by the ever changing
climate and it is essential that we begin to tackle the problem head on, if
we want to be able to sustain growth and production of our most loved
foods. By reducing our carbon footprint and thinking about how much energy
we are using we can begin to fight back against climate change and stop the
damage from worsening.

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