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The world’s first “super-cacao” varieties are designed to withstand drought, support mechanized harvesting, and prevent the absorption of toxic heavy metals.
By Shula Rosen
Good news for chocolate lovers–an Israeli company is developing cacao seeds that can withstand drought and avoid absorbing heavy metals from the soil to make chocolate more abundant, affordable and healthier.
Cacao production in West Africa, which supplies roughly 70% of the world’s cacao, has been hit by prolonged droughts and climate volatility, with yields falling by as much as 40% in some regions.
Those declines have fueled historic price spikes and disrupted a global market valued at tens of billions of dollars annually.
However, AgroNetica said its drought-resistant, higher-yield trees are intended to stabilize production while protecting farmer income.
AgroNetica, an agricultural biotechnology company spun out of the Israeli company BetterSeeds, announced the launch of a gene-edited cacao program aimed at addressing multiple structural challenges facing the global chocolate industry, including climate stress, labor practices, food safety, and long-term sustainability, according to a press release.
The company said it is developing what it describes as the world’s first “super-cacao” varieties designed to withstand drought, support mechanized harvesting, prevent the absorption of toxic heavy metals, and eliminate caffeine — all within a single breeding platform.
The effort relies on advanced gene-editing techniques rather than conventional breeding or chemical interventions.
The company is also targeting labor conditions in cacao farming, where harvesting remains highly labor-intensive and is widely associated with child labor.
By redesigning cacao tree structure to allow full mechanization, AgroNetica said it aims to reduce dependence on manual labor, cut production costs, and support compliance with international labor standards.
Environmental pressures are another focus. AgroNetica said higher-yield trees could reduce the need for land expansion, easing pressure on tropical forests.
The company is also developing cacao varieties that block uptake of heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, contaminants that have led to rejected exports and financial losses for growers.
In addition, a caffeine-free cacao line is being developed to broaden consumer access to chocolate products.
The work is based on what the company describes as second-generation CRISPR technology, using small CRISPR systems delivered through its proprietary EDGE platform. AgroNetica said the approach allows faster introduction of traits while editing only native cacao genes, keeping the plants classified as non-GMO.
“AgroNetica perfectly embodies our mission to apply gene-editing to solve critical cacao challenges, revolutionizing the industry with sustainable, ethical, and healthier products,” Ido Margalit, CEO of BetterSeeds, said in a press release.
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