It takes approximately 1,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of avocado.

Mexico's avocado exports to the US are valued at $2.8 billion annually.

"Michoacán is the Mexican state that exports avocados to the United States."

The high demand for avocados is driven by consumers in North America and Europe.

Avocado cultivation in Michoacan state is linked to organized crime, deforestation, and violence against local communities.

Kenyan companies can invest in sustainable avocado production by utilizing irrigation systems that collect and use rainfall, as seen in the example of Kakuzi's 19 dams, to reduce water usage and environmental impact.

Some farmers and NGOs promote sustainable avocado farming practices to address environmental concerns, such as reducing water use and chemical use.

"It takes approximately 320 litres of water to grow one avocado."

Governments can promote sustainable avocado farming practices to mitigate the climate impact of avocado farming, including reducing water use and chemical use.

Avocados are primarily cultivated in developing countries.

Criminal organizations, referred to as the avocado mafia, are involved in illegal land acquisition for avocado farming in Mexico, using violence and intimidation to control production and distribution.

Avocado farming in Michoacán, Mexico, has caused significant environmental damage, including deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination.

It takes approximately 1,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of avocado.

Title:

Content: Avocado: Between Environmental Impacts and Global Market Controllers
In the Mexican state of Michoacán, which produces about 80% of the world ’ s avocado, avocado cultivation has depleted local water supplies and caused severe environmental damage, with studies showing that avocado cultivation has led to deforestation, soil erosion and chemical contamination of water sources.
(Getty)
In recent years, the avocado industry has become a staple in many diets around the world, and its popularity has increased greatly due to the multiple health benefits.
However, the demand for this fruit has led to harmful environmental effects and the emergence of a mafia that controls the production and distribution of avocados in some countries.
A Chilean study published recently said that avocado cultivation has caused severe water shortages, as well as in Peru, where large farmers have dominated the avocado market since the 1990s, where cultivation requires huge amounts of water, the production of one kilogram of avocado, consumes about 1,000 liters of water, much more than other crops such as tomatoes or oranges.
According to a report by the Water Footprint Network, the production of one kilogram of tomatoes requires about 300 liters of water, and the high water use of avocado production has led to water scarcity and depletion of aquifers in some areas.
In the Mexican state of Michoacán, which produces about 80% of the world ’ s avocado, avocado cultivation has depleted local water supplies and caused severe environmental damage, with studies showing that avocado cultivation has led to deforestation, soil erosion and chemical contamination of water sources.
According to the report, moving avocados from the production site to the market also has a significant impact on the climate, as avocados are grown mainly in developing countries, and are exported to developed countries such as the United States, Europe and Japan, and the transport of avocados over long distances contributes to greenhouse gas emissions harmful to the environment. Approximately 5.4 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per kg of avocado.
Avocado production has also led to the emergence of a mafia that controls the production and distribution of avocados in some countries, where the avocado mafia operates mainly in Mexico, where it controls the production and export of avocados, and this mafia, according to media reports, consists of criminal organizations that use violence and intimidation to control the production and distribution of avocados, and often extort money from farmers. The avocado mafia uses violence to eliminate competitors and dominate the export market, as studies have shown that these gangs are responsible for deforestation, land grabbing and violence against indigenous communities in Mexico.
According to dozens of studies published in recent years, avocado cultivation also has negative effects on local communities. In some areas, demand for avocados has led to land grabbing, community displacement, labor exploitation, and avocado cultivation in the Mexican state of Michoacán has led to the displacement of indigenous communities and the exploitation of often paid migrant workers. Some studies have shown that the expansion of avocado cultivation has displaced traditional crops, leading to food insecurity and loss of biodiversity.
According to the study, governments around the world can take various measures to mitigate the impact of this agriculture on the climate, and one way is to promote sustainable avocado farming practices that reduce water use and reduce the use of chemicals. Protect the environment, provide financial incentives to farmers and enact laws that will deter illegal and criminal practices in these countries.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

Mexico's avocado exports to the US are valued at $2.8 billion annually.

Title:

Content: For foodies, workers, restaurant owners and investors on both sides of the Rio Grande border, Friday brought a sigh of relief after the United States lifted its temporary ban on imports of Mexican avocados.

The week-long pause — albeit a short one — had fueled concerns in the avocado industry, from the workers who pick the fruit in Mexico to consumers worrying about a potential shortage of a staple in the diets of many Americans.

Mexico supplies about 80 percent of the avocados eaten in the United States. The import ban — stemming from purported threats to a U.S. inspector in the Latin American country — shook a billion-dollar industry. Not only did the commotion showcase the law enforcement issues that growers are frequently subjected to in Mexico, but experts said it underscored the importance of one of the strongest and most successful bilateral trade agreements.

Before being smeared into toast or squashed into guacamole, the avocado’s life begins in an orchard in Michoacán — a western Mexican state over a thousand miles away from the border and the only one allowed to send over avocados to the United States. From a bright-green fruit hanging atop trees to its final stage inside American kitchens, the avocado’s journey from seed to food encompasses different phases of inspections and agreements between the two nations — which suddenly took a hit.

Last week, a plant safety inspector from the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was inspecting avocados in Michoacán, when he saw some avocados that looked suspiciously like they came from another state, according to USDA and other industry experts. He raised a red flag and soon after, he received a voice-mail threat. Then the USDA announced it was shutting down imports until it could be assured its agents were safe.

The potential of an impending shortage quickly rippled across the industry — one that came shortly before the Super Bowl, one of the avocado’s biggest events. Soon, food establishments and groceries began worrying about keeping up with a demand that has exponentially increased throughout the past decade.

Prices for the fruit deemed “green gold” were already 100 percent higher than the previous year, said David Magaña, a senior analyst for RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness. But the year-long availability of avocados had also increased as well — indicating that a surge in demand can be attributed to different factors, he said.

For one, avocados, with their versatility and healthy fat attributes, became a food trend and Internet obsession. At the same time, the Hispanic population booms across the country — with a larger share of Latinos among Gen Z — have been “one of the major forces pulling the demand for avocados,” the analyst said.

But behind all those green juices and avocado Instagram-worthy photos is the partnership between Mexico and the United States — which has played a crucial role in enabling the market to expand.

In 1995 — a time when “fat-free” food staples ruled the market — the United States did not have much of a taste for avocados. The majority of the consumed fruit was produced in California. Avocado imports that year totaled $14.7 million, of which $700,000 came from Mexico, said David Orden, a professor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech.

Mexico’s avocados had been banned in the decades before the North American Free Trade Agreement from 1994, Orden said — mostly out of a concern that weevils, scabs and other pests could enter U.S. orchards from imported products. The trade agreement opened the door for the incremental expansion of avocados.

In establishing a system in which U.S. inspectors verify that avocados are pest-free — from when they are growing in orchards to the moment they are packed into sealed trucks — Mexico has been allowed to ship its agricultural product. It started with an approved wintertime stock in Alaska back in the ’90s that has turned into a current year-long supply in all states.

“So that’s all very encouraging and great story about growth and trade agreements, and something the U.S. is trying to do in other countries as well,” Orden said.

The agreement has contributed to economic progress in both sides of the border. Last year, “the two-way food and agricultural trade reached $65 billion, including $2.8 billion in Mexican avocado exports to the United States,” U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement. In Michoacán, some 300,000 workers depend on the avocado industry — including those doing the picking, the packing and the transporting of the fruit.

But their livelihoods have been threatened by encumbering cartels, who see the booming industry as a golden hen for profit, Orden said.

“It has attracted the attention of these gangs in an area where the cartels are not under control,” he said. “That’s where this story takes on a shadier color. But that’s really a law enforcement issue, and one that affects all of our relationships with Mexico.”

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a statement that it had worked with the Mexican government and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico to enact “additional measures” to safeguard the safety of its inspectors.

While the agency did not disclose what such measures encompass, they served to avert what could have been a costly avocado crisis — one that would had impacted plenty, from those picking the fruit to those biting into their avocado toasts.

“With this we ensure the exportation of fruit and provide economic certainty to farmers and day laborers,” Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla tweeted Friday.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

What are the positive effects of the global demand for avocados on the countries and regions that produce and export them?

"Michoacán is the Mexican state that exports avocados to the United States."

What are the countries and regions that import avocados?

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

The high demand for avocados is driven by consumers in North America and Europe.

Title:

Content: "Superfood" avocado has become one of the most popular fruits in the world due to its dense taste and wide use, but environmental awareness has risen in recent years, and due to the need for water and high carbon footprint during cultivation, some restaurants around the world have resisted avocado, replacing the ingredients used in dishes with other fruits and vegetables.
According to the Guardian and The Hill, growing avocados requires a lot of water. According to DanWatch, an independent Danish investigative media, it takes an average of 320 litres of water to grow one avocados.
In addition, thanks to the popularity of avocados around the world, the international transportation of avocados after harvest has further boosted the carbon footprint, which is estimated by Carbon Footprint Ltd to be nearly 850 grams for two avocados commonly found on supermarket shelves.
The main production area of avocado is in Central and South America, but because it is popular with North American and European consumers, the avocado has to be transported across continents when it grows.
Because the journey is too long, farmers often pick the avocado before it is ripe, and it is necessary to use temperature-controlled containers to transport the avocado, all of which push up the avocado ’ s carbon footprint.
In addition, the price of avocado has been soaring in recent years, according to Business Insider, by 2019, the Hass avocado produced in California has risen to $2.1 (about NT $58).
In recent years, the price of avocado has risen, and the cost of its cultivation and transportation has been inextricably linked, and California's casepear production has been severely affected by drought and wildfires in recent years.
Growing and distributing avocados also requires a lot of labor, and the avocados need to be transported to the ripening center first after picking them first, and then to the sales sites after adding ethylene.
Thomasina Miers, founder of the British Mexican restaurant chain, pointed out that today's strong demand for avocado around the world has caused the price of avocado to soar to the point that indigenous people in the region cannot afford it.
Realizing the environmental impact of avocados, restaurants around the world are beginning to resist them. Myers says his restaurant has replaced the cornflake sauce “avocados ” with beans, green peppers, lime, parsley, etc.
Canadian Mexican chef Aldo Camarena also introduced dipping sauces made with pumpkin seeds and tomatoes, while Irish restaurant owner JP McMahon removed the avocado from the menu, calling it “Mexico ’ s blood diamond. ”
Chefs declare war on a trendy fruit because of its enormous carbon footprint
Source: Why avocados are so expensive
End of the avocado: why chefs are ditching the unsustainable fruit
# Avocado # Superfood # Chef # Boycott # Planting

Avocado cultivation in Michoacan state is linked to organized crime, deforestation, and violence against local communities.

What illegal activities have surfaced in avocado trade in recent years?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

displacement of local communities
increased criminal activity

Kenyan companies can invest in sustainable avocado production by utilizing irrigation systems that collect and use rainfall, as seen in the example of Kakuzi's 19 dams, to reduce water usage and environmental impact.

Title:

Content: Sustainable farming holds the key to economic prosperity

Agriculture holds the key to economic transformation for Kenya and the East African region. However, the challenge lies in practising sustainable agriculture to unlock its true value from food production to agro-processing.

As the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) takes place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, as a region and human race, we have many challenges ahead.

Some, are brought on by climate change, population pressure and political or financial instability within our economic and geopolitical space. Still, as a country and region, we have many unique advantages including political goodwill which, if used wisely, will allow us to build a robust agricultural economy.

Let me start by dealing with a favourite topic of mine, irrigation and water security. At Kakuzi, we have 19 dams which collect rainfall - allowing us to use the water for irrigation during dry season.

The critical part of our water security is not just the dam but the catchment itself.

If we don’t preserve the water catchment fields, our dams won’t fill with water, or they could silt up. In short, sustainable and secure irrigation requires that we sacrifice something, in this case, acres and acres of land, which act as water catchment areas.

These fields are preserved with natural habitat and managed to avoid soil erosion, bush clearance or overgrazing. In these fields, we must overcome the temptation to dig up the land and plant crops.

The next key challenge for agriculture after water is energy and not just the cost but also availability. In Kenya, our key export crop of tea requires energy to turn it from lush green leaves to dry tea; bear in mind that 4.5 kilos of green leaf converts to 1 kilo of black tea as the rest is water.  As we encourage farmers to grow more green tea leaves, we must also consider how to dry leaves.

-Chris Flowers is the Kakuzi Managing Director.

In every tea-growing country, the energy for drying tea is a significant issue, whether it’s coal in India, gas in Bangladesh or fuel wood for us in East and Central Africa. Engineers have calculated the energy required, and it’s staggering. We must find sustainable solutions for this, as it’s not an easy or quick fix.

We all know the impact of energy prices on fertiliser, which is just another reason why we need to minimise our use wherever we can. Composting and mulching at Kakuzi to improve soil health and enhance soil fertility is a crucial component of our agricultural practices. Given that only 10 per cent of a macadamia nut is the edible kernel, a lot of biomass is available for conversion to energy or compost.

Teaching farmers sustainable agricultural techniques and when to apply different nutrients and in what quantities is part of what we do. Our online avocado academy ‘Kakuzi Avocademy’ is designed as an e-learning portal for farmers. Through the e-learning platform, we strive to advance shared prosperity values allowing smallholder farmers to learn and make the best crop husbandry decisions.

For many years now, I have been saying that we must explain how farmers can sell their fruit for the best value before we can tell them to plant an avocado tree.

Unfortunately, the fact is that the supply-demand equation for a perishable product such as avocados is a reality. Produce a product with limited marketability in a period of oversupply at your peril. This is precisely what happened in the avocado market earlier this year.

An oversupply of fruit in Europe through large Peruvian shipments and late European and North African production meant minimal marketing options for Kenyan smallholder fruit.

As I mentioned above, discerning customers choosing to eat a superfood such as macadamia or avocado want to know what they are eating and how it was produced. This is not because good Kenyan fruit is of substandard quality but simply because a lot of fruit from the country doesn’t have traceability credentials. If we as producers cannot demonstrate these traceability credentials, then high-value markets are limited and becoming more so.

We should also avoid the trap of thinking that emerging markets in the far east are less stringent than our traditional European markets. Sending substandard fruit to an emerging market can only depress demand, not enhance it.

Further up in the Rift Valley in the tea fields of Nandi and beyond, agricultural interest, mainly crop diversification, is also rising. The number of people seeking advice on avocado and macadamia potential in the region predominantly known for tea is growing.

Undoubtedly, this is the best time to get on the agribusiness side of things. As the name suggests, agribusiness means agricultural production for consumption and sale to raise much-needed financial resources. Like any other business, Agri-preneurs must carefully consider profit and loss fundamentals.

Considering profit and loss means engaging the investing community in the agricultural space to appreciate the role of credit access, mechanisation, technology and human resource management for efficiency.

Having been on the agricultural front my entire life, I can attest to this field-based industry’s value and potential to power rapid economic transformation. Kakuzi is an example of a leading agribusiness firm involved in commercial agricultural endeavours, including livestock rearing and agroforestry beyond our renowned avocado and macadamia production.

In Kenya, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda 2022 - 2027 rightly notes that the agricultural sector has the highest growth multiplier effect on other economic sectors due to strong backward and forward linkages. There can be no denying that agriculture is our most globally competitive sector but getting it right is complex. Patience, long-term thinking and getting the fundamentals of sustainability, quality and traceability correct is the key.

Sometimes numbers tell the value of an agricultural enterprise better. For example, last year, notwithstanding the challenges of an “OFF” year cycle, Kakuzi PLC exported  Sh94 million worth of HASS avocados for our smallholder farmers. The previous ON-year cycle had seen us ship HASS Avocado cartons worth Sh152. 2 million for smallholder farmers.

In this venture geared at supporting smallholder farmers access quality international markets, we made payouts amounting to more than Sh31.4 million for the smallholder farmers from Kakuzi’s local community in Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Meru and Trans-Nzoia counties.

This is but one of the proof points that agribusiness is a viable economic avenue that can empower our farmers if we do it correctly.

However, we must remain alive to the vagaries of climate change as a risk factor to agricultural production and work towards building resilience.

Chris Flowers is the Kakuzi Managing Director.

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What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Some farmers and NGOs promote sustainable avocado farming practices to address environmental concerns, such as reducing water use and chemical use.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

"It takes approximately 320 litres of water to grow one avocado."

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

Governments can promote sustainable avocado farming practices to mitigate the climate impact of avocado farming, including reducing water use and chemical use.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Avocados are primarily cultivated in developing countries.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Criminal organizations, referred to as the avocado mafia, are involved in illegal land acquisition for avocado farming in Mexico, using violence and intimidation to control production and distribution.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

land grabbing
displacement of local communities
increased criminal activity

Avocado farming in Michoacán, Mexico, has caused significant environmental damage, including deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?


It takes approximately 1,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of avocado.

Mexico's avocado exports to the US are valued at $2.8 billion annually.

"Michoacán is the Mexican state that exports avocados to the United States."

Michoacán is the Mexican state that likely exports avocados to the United States, given its large share of global avocado production.

The Mexican state of Michoacán is the primary producer of avocados and likely exports them to the United States.

Michoacán is the Mexican state that exports avocados to the United States, with a significant industry that supports 300,000 workers.

The high demand for avocados is driven by consumers in North America and Europe.

Avocado cultivation in Michoacan state is linked to organized crime, deforestation, and violence against local communities.

Avocado cultivation in Michoacan state is threatened by cartel involvement, posing a law enforcement issue that affects US-Mexico relationships.

Kenyan companies can invest in sustainable avocado production by utilizing irrigation systems that collect and use rainfall, as seen in the example of Kakuzi's 19 dams, to reduce water usage and environmental impact.

Some farmers and NGOs promote sustainable avocado farming practices to address environmental concerns, such as reducing water use and chemical use.

"Some farmers and NGOs promote composting and mulching as a practice to address environmental concerns by improving soil health and fertility."

Some farmers and NGOs promote teaching sustainable agricultural techniques to address environmental concerns.

Aquaponic systems are promoted by some farmers and NGOs as a practice to address environmental concerns due to their efficient and symbiotic relationship between plants and fish.

Some farmers and NGOs promote practices that address environmental concerns by stepping up investment in agriculture with due emphasis on these concerns.

"It takes approximately 320 litres of water to grow one avocado."

Governments can promote sustainable avocado farming practices to mitigate the climate impact of avocado farming, including reducing water use and chemical use.

Governments can promote the use of new farming technologies, such as precision farming, to help mitigate the climate impact of avocado farming by reducing agricultural inputs and increasing average yields.

Avocados are primarily cultivated in developing countries.

Avocados are primarily cultivated in Mexico, particularly in the state of Michoacán.

Avocado is primarily cultivated in Central and South America.

"Kenya is a significant producer and exporter of avocados, with the fruit accounting for a substantial portion of the country's fruit and horticultural exports."

Avocados are cultivated in Peru, among other places, as it is mentioned as a source of imported avocados.

Criminal organizations, referred to as the avocado mafia, are involved in illegal land acquisition for avocado farming in Mexico, using violence and intimidation to control production and distribution.

Avocado farming in Michoacán, Mexico, has caused significant environmental damage, including deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination.

Avocado farming in Michoacán, Mexico has caused significant environmental damage, including deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination.

It takes approximately 1,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of avocado.

Title:

Content: Avocado: Between Environmental Impacts and Global Market Controllers
In the Mexican state of Michoacán, which produces about 80% of the world ’ s avocado, avocado cultivation has depleted local water supplies and caused severe environmental damage, with studies showing that avocado cultivation has led to deforestation, soil erosion and chemical contamination of water sources.
(Getty)
In recent years, the avocado industry has become a staple in many diets around the world, and its popularity has increased greatly due to the multiple health benefits.
However, the demand for this fruit has led to harmful environmental effects and the emergence of a mafia that controls the production and distribution of avocados in some countries.
A Chilean study published recently said that avocado cultivation has caused severe water shortages, as well as in Peru, where large farmers have dominated the avocado market since the 1990s, where cultivation requires huge amounts of water, the production of one kilogram of avocado, consumes about 1,000 liters of water, much more than other crops such as tomatoes or oranges.
According to a report by the Water Footprint Network, the production of one kilogram of tomatoes requires about 300 liters of water, and the high water use of avocado production has led to water scarcity and depletion of aquifers in some areas.
In the Mexican state of Michoacán, which produces about 80% of the world ’ s avocado, avocado cultivation has depleted local water supplies and caused severe environmental damage, with studies showing that avocado cultivation has led to deforestation, soil erosion and chemical contamination of water sources.
According to the report, moving avocados from the production site to the market also has a significant impact on the climate, as avocados are grown mainly in developing countries, and are exported to developed countries such as the United States, Europe and Japan, and the transport of avocados over long distances contributes to greenhouse gas emissions harmful to the environment. Approximately 5.4 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per kg of avocado.
Avocado production has also led to the emergence of a mafia that controls the production and distribution of avocados in some countries, where the avocado mafia operates mainly in Mexico, where it controls the production and export of avocados, and this mafia, according to media reports, consists of criminal organizations that use violence and intimidation to control the production and distribution of avocados, and often extort money from farmers. The avocado mafia uses violence to eliminate competitors and dominate the export market, as studies have shown that these gangs are responsible for deforestation, land grabbing and violence against indigenous communities in Mexico.
According to dozens of studies published in recent years, avocado cultivation also has negative effects on local communities. In some areas, demand for avocados has led to land grabbing, community displacement, labor exploitation, and avocado cultivation in the Mexican state of Michoacán has led to the displacement of indigenous communities and the exploitation of often paid migrant workers. Some studies have shown that the expansion of avocado cultivation has displaced traditional crops, leading to food insecurity and loss of biodiversity.
According to the study, governments around the world can take various measures to mitigate the impact of this agriculture on the climate, and one way is to promote sustainable avocado farming practices that reduce water use and reduce the use of chemicals. Protect the environment, provide financial incentives to farmers and enact laws that will deter illegal and criminal practices in these countries.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

Mexico's avocado exports to the US are valued at $2.8 billion annually.

Title:

Content: For foodies, workers, restaurant owners and investors on both sides of the Rio Grande border, Friday brought a sigh of relief after the United States lifted its temporary ban on imports of Mexican avocados.

The week-long pause — albeit a short one — had fueled concerns in the avocado industry, from the workers who pick the fruit in Mexico to consumers worrying about a potential shortage of a staple in the diets of many Americans.

Mexico supplies about 80 percent of the avocados eaten in the United States. The import ban — stemming from purported threats to a U.S. inspector in the Latin American country — shook a billion-dollar industry. Not only did the commotion showcase the law enforcement issues that growers are frequently subjected to in Mexico, but experts said it underscored the importance of one of the strongest and most successful bilateral trade agreements.

Before being smeared into toast or squashed into guacamole, the avocado’s life begins in an orchard in Michoacán — a western Mexican state over a thousand miles away from the border and the only one allowed to send over avocados to the United States. From a bright-green fruit hanging atop trees to its final stage inside American kitchens, the avocado’s journey from seed to food encompasses different phases of inspections and agreements between the two nations — which suddenly took a hit.

Last week, a plant safety inspector from the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was inspecting avocados in Michoacán, when he saw some avocados that looked suspiciously like they came from another state, according to USDA and other industry experts. He raised a red flag and soon after, he received a voice-mail threat. Then the USDA announced it was shutting down imports until it could be assured its agents were safe.

The potential of an impending shortage quickly rippled across the industry — one that came shortly before the Super Bowl, one of the avocado’s biggest events. Soon, food establishments and groceries began worrying about keeping up with a demand that has exponentially increased throughout the past decade.

Prices for the fruit deemed “green gold” were already 100 percent higher than the previous year, said David Magaña, a senior analyst for RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness. But the year-long availability of avocados had also increased as well — indicating that a surge in demand can be attributed to different factors, he said.

For one, avocados, with their versatility and healthy fat attributes, became a food trend and Internet obsession. At the same time, the Hispanic population booms across the country — with a larger share of Latinos among Gen Z — have been “one of the major forces pulling the demand for avocados,” the analyst said.

But behind all those green juices and avocado Instagram-worthy photos is the partnership between Mexico and the United States — which has played a crucial role in enabling the market to expand.

In 1995 — a time when “fat-free” food staples ruled the market — the United States did not have much of a taste for avocados. The majority of the consumed fruit was produced in California. Avocado imports that year totaled $14.7 million, of which $700,000 came from Mexico, said David Orden, a professor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech.

Mexico’s avocados had been banned in the decades before the North American Free Trade Agreement from 1994, Orden said — mostly out of a concern that weevils, scabs and other pests could enter U.S. orchards from imported products. The trade agreement opened the door for the incremental expansion of avocados.

In establishing a system in which U.S. inspectors verify that avocados are pest-free — from when they are growing in orchards to the moment they are packed into sealed trucks — Mexico has been allowed to ship its agricultural product. It started with an approved wintertime stock in Alaska back in the ’90s that has turned into a current year-long supply in all states.

“So that’s all very encouraging and great story about growth and trade agreements, and something the U.S. is trying to do in other countries as well,” Orden said.

The agreement has contributed to economic progress in both sides of the border. Last year, “the two-way food and agricultural trade reached $65 billion, including $2.8 billion in Mexican avocado exports to the United States,” U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement. In Michoacán, some 300,000 workers depend on the avocado industry — including those doing the picking, the packing and the transporting of the fruit.

But their livelihoods have been threatened by encumbering cartels, who see the booming industry as a golden hen for profit, Orden said.

“It has attracted the attention of these gangs in an area where the cartels are not under control,” he said. “That’s where this story takes on a shadier color. But that’s really a law enforcement issue, and one that affects all of our relationships with Mexico.”

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a statement that it had worked with the Mexican government and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico to enact “additional measures” to safeguard the safety of its inspectors.

While the agency did not disclose what such measures encompass, they served to avert what could have been a costly avocado crisis — one that would had impacted plenty, from those picking the fruit to those biting into their avocado toasts.

“With this we ensure the exportation of fruit and provide economic certainty to farmers and day laborers,” Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla tweeted Friday.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

What are the positive effects of the global demand for avocados on the countries and regions that produce and export them?

"Michoacán is the Mexican state that exports avocados to the United States."

What are the countries and regions that import avocados?

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Michoacán is the Mexican state that likely exports avocados to the United States, given its large share of global avocado production.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

The Mexican state of Michoacán is the primary producer of avocados and likely exports them to the United States.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Michoacán is the Mexican state that exports avocados to the United States, with a significant industry that supports 300,000 workers.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

What are the positive effects of the global demand for avocados on the countries and regions that produce and export them?

The high demand for avocados is driven by consumers in North America and Europe.

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Content: "Superfood" avocado has become one of the most popular fruits in the world due to its dense taste and wide use, but environmental awareness has risen in recent years, and due to the need for water and high carbon footprint during cultivation, some restaurants around the world have resisted avocado, replacing the ingredients used in dishes with other fruits and vegetables.
According to the Guardian and The Hill, growing avocados requires a lot of water. According to DanWatch, an independent Danish investigative media, it takes an average of 320 litres of water to grow one avocados.
In addition, thanks to the popularity of avocados around the world, the international transportation of avocados after harvest has further boosted the carbon footprint, which is estimated by Carbon Footprint Ltd to be nearly 850 grams for two avocados commonly found on supermarket shelves.
The main production area of avocado is in Central and South America, but because it is popular with North American and European consumers, the avocado has to be transported across continents when it grows.
Because the journey is too long, farmers often pick the avocado before it is ripe, and it is necessary to use temperature-controlled containers to transport the avocado, all of which push up the avocado ’ s carbon footprint.
In addition, the price of avocado has been soaring in recent years, according to Business Insider, by 2019, the Hass avocado produced in California has risen to $2.1 (about NT $58).
In recent years, the price of avocado has risen, and the cost of its cultivation and transportation has been inextricably linked, and California's casepear production has been severely affected by drought and wildfires in recent years.
Growing and distributing avocados also requires a lot of labor, and the avocados need to be transported to the ripening center first after picking them first, and then to the sales sites after adding ethylene.
Thomasina Miers, founder of the British Mexican restaurant chain, pointed out that today's strong demand for avocado around the world has caused the price of avocado to soar to the point that indigenous people in the region cannot afford it.
Realizing the environmental impact of avocados, restaurants around the world are beginning to resist them. Myers says his restaurant has replaced the cornflake sauce “avocados ” with beans, green peppers, lime, parsley, etc.
Canadian Mexican chef Aldo Camarena also introduced dipping sauces made with pumpkin seeds and tomatoes, while Irish restaurant owner JP McMahon removed the avocado from the menu, calling it “Mexico ’ s blood diamond. ”
Chefs declare war on a trendy fruit because of its enormous carbon footprint
Source: Why avocados are so expensive
End of the avocado: why chefs are ditching the unsustainable fruit
# Avocado # Superfood # Chef # Boycott # Planting

Avocado cultivation in Michoacan state is linked to organized crime, deforestation, and violence against local communities.

What illegal activities have surfaced in avocado trade in recent years?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

displacement of local communities
increased criminal activity

Avocado cultivation in Michoacan state is threatened by cartel involvement, posing a law enforcement issue that affects US-Mexico relationships.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

increased criminal activity
political tension

Kenyan companies can invest in sustainable avocado production by utilizing irrigation systems that collect and use rainfall, as seen in the example of Kakuzi's 19 dams, to reduce water usage and environmental impact.

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Content: Sustainable farming holds the key to economic prosperity

Agriculture holds the key to economic transformation for Kenya and the East African region. However, the challenge lies in practising sustainable agriculture to unlock its true value from food production to agro-processing.

As the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) takes place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, as a region and human race, we have many challenges ahead.

Some, are brought on by climate change, population pressure and political or financial instability within our economic and geopolitical space. Still, as a country and region, we have many unique advantages including political goodwill which, if used wisely, will allow us to build a robust agricultural economy.

Let me start by dealing with a favourite topic of mine, irrigation and water security. At Kakuzi, we have 19 dams which collect rainfall - allowing us to use the water for irrigation during dry season.

The critical part of our water security is not just the dam but the catchment itself.

If we don’t preserve the water catchment fields, our dams won’t fill with water, or they could silt up. In short, sustainable and secure irrigation requires that we sacrifice something, in this case, acres and acres of land, which act as water catchment areas.

These fields are preserved with natural habitat and managed to avoid soil erosion, bush clearance or overgrazing. In these fields, we must overcome the temptation to dig up the land and plant crops.

The next key challenge for agriculture after water is energy and not just the cost but also availability. In Kenya, our key export crop of tea requires energy to turn it from lush green leaves to dry tea; bear in mind that 4.5 kilos of green leaf converts to 1 kilo of black tea as the rest is water.  As we encourage farmers to grow more green tea leaves, we must also consider how to dry leaves.

-Chris Flowers is the Kakuzi Managing Director.

In every tea-growing country, the energy for drying tea is a significant issue, whether it’s coal in India, gas in Bangladesh or fuel wood for us in East and Central Africa. Engineers have calculated the energy required, and it’s staggering. We must find sustainable solutions for this, as it’s not an easy or quick fix.

We all know the impact of energy prices on fertiliser, which is just another reason why we need to minimise our use wherever we can. Composting and mulching at Kakuzi to improve soil health and enhance soil fertility is a crucial component of our agricultural practices. Given that only 10 per cent of a macadamia nut is the edible kernel, a lot of biomass is available for conversion to energy or compost.

Teaching farmers sustainable agricultural techniques and when to apply different nutrients and in what quantities is part of what we do. Our online avocado academy ‘Kakuzi Avocademy’ is designed as an e-learning portal for farmers. Through the e-learning platform, we strive to advance shared prosperity values allowing smallholder farmers to learn and make the best crop husbandry decisions.

For many years now, I have been saying that we must explain how farmers can sell their fruit for the best value before we can tell them to plant an avocado tree.

Unfortunately, the fact is that the supply-demand equation for a perishable product such as avocados is a reality. Produce a product with limited marketability in a period of oversupply at your peril. This is precisely what happened in the avocado market earlier this year.

An oversupply of fruit in Europe through large Peruvian shipments and late European and North African production meant minimal marketing options for Kenyan smallholder fruit.

As I mentioned above, discerning customers choosing to eat a superfood such as macadamia or avocado want to know what they are eating and how it was produced. This is not because good Kenyan fruit is of substandard quality but simply because a lot of fruit from the country doesn’t have traceability credentials. If we as producers cannot demonstrate these traceability credentials, then high-value markets are limited and becoming more so.

We should also avoid the trap of thinking that emerging markets in the far east are less stringent than our traditional European markets. Sending substandard fruit to an emerging market can only depress demand, not enhance it.

Further up in the Rift Valley in the tea fields of Nandi and beyond, agricultural interest, mainly crop diversification, is also rising. The number of people seeking advice on avocado and macadamia potential in the region predominantly known for tea is growing.

Undoubtedly, this is the best time to get on the agribusiness side of things. As the name suggests, agribusiness means agricultural production for consumption and sale to raise much-needed financial resources. Like any other business, Agri-preneurs must carefully consider profit and loss fundamentals.

Considering profit and loss means engaging the investing community in the agricultural space to appreciate the role of credit access, mechanisation, technology and human resource management for efficiency.

Having been on the agricultural front my entire life, I can attest to this field-based industry’s value and potential to power rapid economic transformation. Kakuzi is an example of a leading agribusiness firm involved in commercial agricultural endeavours, including livestock rearing and agroforestry beyond our renowned avocado and macadamia production.

In Kenya, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda 2022 - 2027 rightly notes that the agricultural sector has the highest growth multiplier effect on other economic sectors due to strong backward and forward linkages. There can be no denying that agriculture is our most globally competitive sector but getting it right is complex. Patience, long-term thinking and getting the fundamentals of sustainability, quality and traceability correct is the key.

Sometimes numbers tell the value of an agricultural enterprise better. For example, last year, notwithstanding the challenges of an “OFF” year cycle, Kakuzi PLC exported  Sh94 million worth of HASS avocados for our smallholder farmers. The previous ON-year cycle had seen us ship HASS Avocado cartons worth Sh152. 2 million for smallholder farmers.

In this venture geared at supporting smallholder farmers access quality international markets, we made payouts amounting to more than Sh31.4 million for the smallholder farmers from Kakuzi’s local community in Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Meru and Trans-Nzoia counties.

This is but one of the proof points that agribusiness is a viable economic avenue that can empower our farmers if we do it correctly.

However, we must remain alive to the vagaries of climate change as a risk factor to agricultural production and work towards building resilience.

Chris Flowers is the Kakuzi Managing Director.

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What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Some farmers and NGOs promote sustainable avocado farming practices to address environmental concerns, such as reducing water use and chemical use.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

"Some farmers and NGOs promote composting and mulching as a practice to address environmental concerns by improving soil health and fertility."

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Some farmers and NGOs promote teaching sustainable agricultural techniques to address environmental concerns.

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Aquaponic systems are promoted by some farmers and NGOs as a practice to address environmental concerns due to their efficient and symbiotic relationship between plants and fish.

Title:

Content: Aquaponic and Hydroponic Systems and Equipment Market Share 2022 COVID-19 Impact and Regional Outlook 2030

Oklahoma, Perkins, 2022-Oct-07 — /EPR Network/ —

Description

The global aquaponic and hydroponic systems and equipment market size is expected to grow from USD 1,202.8 million in 2020 to USD 2,753.2 million by 2027, at a CAGR of 14.8% from 2021 to 2027. High emphasis has been laid on the adverse effects of conventional agriculture on the environment. Some of these concerns include depletion of natural resources, misuse of synthetic chemical inputs into the soil, and contamination of water resources. With the excessive agricultural activities over the land, land fertility globally has declined. This has led to a great rise in alternative production systems for small growers and large-scale commercial productions.

Aquaponic is another system of growing plants without soil but is different from the hydroponic growing system. Instead of plants getting their nutrients from the soil, an aquatic solution is used to directly provide the essential nutrients needed for plant growth to the roots, where efficient nutrient uptake can occur. In place of adding fertilizers to the water to add nutrients, fish are grown simultaneously in the aquatic environment to create a symbiotic relationship that results in an incredibly efficient system. Aquaponic and hydroponic systems’ major benefits include a longer growing season than conventional gardening, lessened negative environmental impact, faster plant growth, and higher yield.

Various aquaponic and hydroponic systems are available in the market, such as nutrient-film technique, deep water culture systems, media-filled grow bed, and Ebb and flow systems. The equipment used in aquaponic and hydroponic-based growing includes LED grow light, HVAC, irrigation system, and aeration system. A wide range of products can be developed with aquaponic and hydroponic systems such as vegetables, herbs, fruits, and fish. With the current global scenario, alternative farming systems are expected to grow exponentially in the coming years with increased demand for food and decreased availability of land.

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COVID-19 Impact on the Global Aquaponic and Hydroponic Systems and Equipment

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted almost all major industries worldwide, including the agricultural sector. The pandemic has led to economic instability throughout the world, and the GDP for all countries declined in 2020. The alternative farming industry, vertical farming, aquaponics, hydroponic, and monoculture techniques, has also been vastly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agriculture sector plays a major role in many countries such as India, the U.S., Australia, and Indonesia. Countries with a well-established aquaponic and hydroponic setup have faced a major issue with the COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, supply chains of major equipment required to work an aquaponic and hydroponic growing setup got severely disturbed. These include an HVAC system, LED grow light, and aeration system. The unavailability of the equipment required for the working of an aquaponic farm has decreased the production and yield severely. This has affected the demand and supply ratio with the products developed through aquaponic and hydroponic techniques.

Global Aquaponic and Hydroponic Systems and Equipment Market Dynamics

Drivers: Increasing Global Food Demand

Global food safety and security is one of the most significant environmental issues. The global population has increased immensely since the 2000s and will further increase by 2030 and 2050. Such a large world population will be demanding more food and water in the future. In the last two decades, agricultural production has been higher than the rate of growth of the global population, which is 1% per year of the current value. Therefore, concerns have been raised whether the landmass of the world will be able to support its expanding population by 2030 and 2050 or not.

Increased food production will require greater inputs-land, water, manpower, or a combination of these inputs. Thus, an increase in food production will intensify competition for land, water, and energy. With the increased concerns over food security, growers worldwide have opted for various techniques for food production, such as aquaponics and hydroponic.

Challenges: High Cost of Operation

The primary reason for the slow and limited adoption of aquaponic and hydroponic systems globally is the high cost of operation and initial investment. Increased investment is required to set up a commercial aquaponics farm, which can be troublesome, especially for small and medium-scale growers. Thus, the cost of implementing the technology, expert cost, and maintenance cost somehow affect the market’s growth. The high initial price for setting up an aquaponic and hydroponic system is considered a major challenge in developing aquaponic systems globally. Countries with less technological awareness and less knowledge might not invest a high amount in these systems.

Opportunities: Increasing Cultivation of Medicinal Plants

Medicinal plants are valuable natural resources. Unplanned growth and overexploitation of medicinal plants from non-managed, natural resources have resulted in the lack of different spices and the elimination of various species in the world. To fulfill the developing need for these plants, it becomes critical to moderate these plant species either by way of domestication and cultivation or by other ex-situ and in situ conservation measures for their maintainable use.

Medicinal plants are increasingly cultivated on a commercial scale to meet their growing demand for natural remedies. These plants are usually preferred to be developed away from their native climatic zones due to emergencies.

Scope of the Report

The study categorizes the aquaponic and hydroponic systems and equipment market based on application, technique, equipment, and regions.

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By Application Outlook (Sales/Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

  • Vegetables
  • Herbs
  • Fruits
  • Fish
  • Others

By Technique Outlook (Sales/Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

  • Nutrient-Film Technique
  • Deep-Water Culture System
  • Media-Filled Grow Bed
  • Ebb and Flow System
  • Others

By Equipment Outlook (Sales/Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

  • HVAC
  • LED Grow Light
  • Irrigation Systems
  • Aeration System

By Region Outlook (Sales/Revenue, USD Million, 2017-2027)

  • North America (US, Canada, Mexico)
  • South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Rest of Latin America)
  • Europe (Germany, Italy, France, UK, Spain, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Rest of Europe)
  • Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, the Philippines, Singapore, Australia & New Zealand, Rest of Asia Pacific)
  • The Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, Northern Africa, Rest of MEA)

The vegetable segment is projected to account for the largest market share by application

The global aquaponic and hydroponic systems and equipment market is divided into vegetables, herbs, fruits, fish, and others based on application. In 2020, vegetables accounted for the largest market share of 34.5% in the global aquaponic and hydroponic systems and equipment market. Aquaponic and hydroponic techniques are primarily used for the cultivation of vegetables. Through aquaponic and hydroponic growing systems, fish and vegetables are grown together. The vegetables and the fish both reap the benefits from each other through the aquaponic system. This circulating water contains fish excrement, rich in beneficial bacteria and nutrients, and can provide nutrients to plants without fertilizers.

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Asia Pacific accounts for the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Based on the regions, the global aquaponic and hydroponic systems and equipment market has been segmented across North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. Globally, Asia Pacific is estimated to hold the highest CAGR of 15.8% in the global aquaponic and hydroponic systems and equipment market during the forecast period. The Asia-Pacific includes countries such as India, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and South Korea. Countries such as India have the highest populations globally, which creates a higher food demand in these regions. This is expected to drive the aquaponic and hydroponic systems and equipment market in the Asia-Pacific region. The aquaponic and hydroponic market in the Asia-Pacific region is huge, considering countries’ dependence on agriculture. Agriculture is a major occupation for a large population in the countries located in this region.

Countries such as India and China have a high food demand expected to increase with their growing population. Aquaponic and hydroponic techniques would help in increasing the agricultural productivity of these countries. Thus, growing food demand is expected to boot the aquaponic and hydroponic systems and equipment market in the Asia-Pacific region. India is one of the largest agricultural crop producers globally, with agriculture contributing 20% to the country’s GDP.

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Key Market Players

The aquaponic and hydroponic systems and equipment market is mildly concentrated in nature with few numbers of global players operating in the market such as BetterGrow Hydro, Colorado Aquaponics, ECF Farm systems, AmHydro, Aquaponic Lynx LLC, Endless Food Systems, Hydrodynamics International, Hydrofarm LLC, LivinGreen, Nelson & Pade Aquaponics, General Hydroponics, GreenTech Agro LLC, Pegasus Agriculture, PentairAES, Perth Aquaponics, Argus Control Systems Limited, and UrbanFarmers AG.

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Some farmers and NGOs promote practices that address environmental concerns by stepping up investment in agriculture with due emphasis on these concerns.

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Content: Farm Financing: Works remain much more than the pouring of funds

The number of banks working in rural regions has been around 47 percent.

Dr B K Mukhopadhyay

(The author is a Professor of Management and Economics, formerly at IIBM (RBI) Guwahati. He can be contacted at m.bibhas@gmail.com)

The number of banks working in rural regions has been around 47 percent. The financial inclusion drive is on. Banks are participating in multifarious ventures [farm and non-farm]. The regional rural banks have come forward. Private sector banks are also increasingly foraying into the rural counterpart.

However, a very recent NSSO survey reflected one major aspect of the agriculture scenario in India. The agricultural credit net [formal and informal, inclusive] has been able to cover only half of the farming community, and as such, a large number of small and marginal farmers are still out of the coverage of the institutional financial system.

What is more, the credit flow is more skewed across states and regions. Intrastate sharp variations in credit flow have been very much alive, with the main benefit going to the developed regions [regions with greater access to physical infrastructure and regions closer to the urban centres] as compared to the underdeveloped regions. It has been observed that, due to a lack of penetration in remote areas, especially small and marginal farmers are largely still dependent on moneylenders for credit against collateral, and as such, the government’s agricultural credit schemes are far from their reach, making the farmers vulnerable to higher costs of credit. It has been observed that small farmers suffer from non-friendly practices, delays in credit delivery, and collateral problems.

No denial—to date, around half of the farmers are under the agri-credit net, and a lot thus remains to be covered.

But does it not remain the fact that credit alone cannot help boost the rural economy?

In the absence of overall planning and effective implementation, duly honouring the techniques of regional planning and tinkering along with the existing process can help little. Why the knowledge of regional planning has been lacking at virtually every stage of plan formulation still remains unanswered. Needless to say, politics has always played the leading role, virtually ignoring the economic and non-economic regional dimensions!

Time is already ripe to take a fresh view on this score so that the coming days remain sunny and we can lead the world as far as agri-rural development is concerned.

Let us analyse the real situation, covering different vital wings. A consistent decline in the share of private-sector investment in the agriculture sector is a matter of concern. This trend needs to be reversed through the creation of a favourable policy environment and the availability of credit at reasonable rates in time for the private sector to invest in agriculture.

Next, there has been a substantial increase in MSPs for various crops over the last few years. This is considered necessary to incentivize the farmers to increase production and productivity. At the same time, the MSP signals the floor price for the produce, which, in turn, has the potential to increase prices. Addressing the welfare of agricultural producers and consumers simultaneously poses a challenge. Further, the inability of a large number of small and marginal farmers to directly access the agri-market puts a question mark on whether increases in MSP actually benefit such farmers.

The positive things are not ignored, of course. But the grey areas should not also be lost sight of. Although the yield per hectare of food grains has shown some improvement in recent years, it is not significant enough to cater to the needs of the rising population, particularly when income levels are also rising. Since farm productivity is not showing desirable growth, there is an urgent need to focus on research as well as better agricultural practices to ensure that productivity levels are increased in the shortest time possible. Special attention may be required for states with relatively low productivity.

Especially, production and productivity in pulses and oilseeds are of growing concern. A sizeable proportion of these items are met through imports.  The scope for the import of pulses is limited due to the limited number of countries producing them.  Due to this supply-demand gap, domestic prices fluctuate with availability and prices in the international market, apart from the impact of domestic production trends.

Though the fact remains that record procurement of rice and wheat in the last few years has helped to build up the buffer stock and strategic reserve of wheat and rice, a huge cost is involved in the process, which is met through budgetary sources in the form of food subsidies, which, in turn, puts a lot of stress on the fiscal system. The issue of efficient food stock management and offloading of stocks on time needs urgent attention.

Despite the fact that agriculture accounts for as much as one fifth of the Indian economy and employs an estimated 60 percent of the labour force, it is considered highly inefficient, wasteful, and incapable of solving hunger and malnutrition problems. Despite progress in this sector, a number of problems have continued to frustrate India for decades.  It is estimated that as much as one-fifth of the total agricultural output is lost due to inefficiencies in the harvesting, transport, and storage of government-subsidised crops.

It must be agreed upon that, despite the overwhelming size of the agricultural sector, yields per hectare of crops in India are generally low compared to international standards. Improper water management is another problem affecting India’s agriculture. At a time of increasing water shortages and environmental crises, for example, the rice crop in India is allocated disproportionately high amounts of water.  One result of the inefficient use of water is that water tables in regions of rice cultivation, such as Punjab, are on the rise while soil fertility is on the decline.

Again: have we systematically tapped the allied agricultural potentialities?  The answer is a great no! Simply stating that the potentialities are immense does not serve any purpose if the same is not optimally tapped! Let us take one example on this score: a recent Exim Bank study on the floriculture industry observed that the global economic crisis has considerably impacted the growth potential of the industry.

Reviewing the performance of the Indian floriculture industry, the study observed that besides the negative impact of the global economic recession, the growth of the industry is increasingly affected due to growing competition in the international arena with the entry of new African countries into the global floriculture trade. Further, a number of Asian neighbours, such as China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, are also emerging as competitors in India’s export markets. Europe continues to be the largest destination for Indian floriculture exports. However, India’s floriculture exports have been diversifying, from traditional markets, such as the EU and USA, to new markets in Asia Pacific, such as Japan and Australia. Against such a scenario, the study viewed the potential for expansion of commercial floriculture in India, including production for domestic and export sales of cut flowers and plants, as unlimited, provided the country expands the production of existing products as well as the product range. The study also identified some of the areas in which market opportunities exist for the Indian floriculture industry, viz., hi-tech cultivation and product diversification; tapping global landscaping opportunities; floral arts and floral designing markets; and catering to the global demand for custom-made products such as dry flowers, foliage, flower seed production, flower extracts, essential oils, and natural dyes.

So why not make a special drive on this score? Institutional finance is definitely available, and the fact remains that the banks are taking special interest in agri-development projects, and the NABARD has also been extending practical support on this score.

No less important is the fact of climate change! Recent studies indicate the adverse impact of climate change on agriculture. Crop improvement and research to develop drought-resistant, high-yielding varieties of seeds assume importance with a view to combating the adverse impact of drought on food production and ensuring food security. To sum up, we need to address the challenges of the agriculture sector through comprehensive and coordinated efforts. Renewed attention needs to be paid to improving farm production and productivity, better utilization of agricultural inputs, proper marketing infrastructure and support, stepping up investment in agriculture with due emphasis on environmental concerns, and efficient food management.

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What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

"It takes approximately 320 litres of water to grow one avocado."

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

Governments can promote sustainable avocado farming practices to mitigate the climate impact of avocado farming, including reducing water use and chemical use.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Governments can promote the use of new farming technologies, such as precision farming, to help mitigate the climate impact of avocado farming by reducing agricultural inputs and increasing average yields.

Title:

Content: There were 978 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 216,040 in the last 365 days.

Digital Agriculture Market to Grow Three Fold by 2028 | BlueWeave Consulting

Based on region, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa, wherein North America region accounted for the largest share in 2021 owing to consumers increasing preference toward digital technologies for agriculture. Advanced economy coupled with the early adoption of the latest technologies have resulted in growth of digital agriculture in this region. The area is a pioneer in implementing new technology. The region's market has a high revenue due to factors including expanding government efforts that boost the implementation of modern agriculture technology and established infrastructure.

/EIN News/ -- New Delhi, Aug. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The agricultural market has experienced a significant rise as a result of growing awareness of the advantages of digital agriculture in maximizing agricultural productivity. The use of technologies in the agriculture sector, such as AI, drones, GPS, moisture detectors, etc., to gather, store, and analyses data in order to take necessary action is known as digital agriculture. Technology has been developed to include the whole value-addition chain till the product is delivered to the client, and not only farms.

A recent study conducted by the strategic consulting and market research firm, BlueWeave Consulting, revealed that the global digital agriculture market was worth USD 10.7 billion in the year 2021. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.8% during the forecast period (2022-2028), earning revenues of around USD 31.8 billion by the end of 2028. The demand for higher crop health and production, growing labor scarcity in agriculture, and rising concern about food security and nutrition are the main reasons propelling the market for digital agriculture. A better environment for agriculture is created by the continuous income and higher standard of living without having to labor in the fields. This has led to urbanization and the use of technology on farms for day-to-day operations, which will aid in enhancing productivity at a cheap cost.

Digital agriculture provides substantial advantages for farmers in addition to wider social advantages elsewhere in the world. Additionally, it enables firms to share information beyond traditional industry borders, creating new, disruptive potential. The development of the digital era is pushing people everywhere to adopt new work practices. Technology enhances agriculture industry capabilities. The rise in demand for the creation of novel technologies without compromising productivity or the environment, the installation of software systems for waste reduction detection, and the growth in manufacturer profits are all factors that are anticipated to increase total market demand. The usage of mobile phones for digital farming hastens this trend. Increasing internet and digital connection have positive effects in underdeveloped nations. Over the course of the forecast period, these factors are predicted to fuel the expansion of the global digital agriculture market.

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Lack of Workforce and Rising Food Demand are the Two Main Factors Boosting the Growth of the Global Digital Agriculture Industry

Global population growth causes a rise in food demand, which in turn causes productivity to improve while using less resources. The need for digital agricultural solutions is also being augmented by the rising labor scarcity in agriculture as a result of urbanization and the need for reliable sources of income. Furthermore, the need for digital agriculture is growing due to the decreasing availability of natural resources like water and the effects of climate change such as the greenhouse effect. The lack of technical expertise among people, however, may prevent the industry from expanding.

 Digital Agriculture Market is Anticipated to Witness Potential Growth Owing to Rising Technological Advancements in the Asia-Pacific Region

During the forecast period, the Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to register highest growth rate in the digital agriculture market due to increasing awareness about new technologies related to agriculture and adopting favorable government policies to promote digitization in the agriculture sector. With the increase in urbanization and the growing need for improving food security, the demand for digital agriculture is expected to increase in this region. APAC is expanding rapidly as a result of a number of reasons, including local corporate expansion and governmental initiatives supporting cutting-edge technical advancements. Some countries in the region, including China and Japan, have embraced, and are quickly deploying digital agriculture technologies. However, the vast development potential is still largely unrealized in the majority of Asia-Pacific markets.

New farming technology, such as precision farming, can help in using agricultural inputs in precise quantities to increase average yields as compared to traditional cultivation approaches. It is projected that the United States would contribute significantly to supporting the ecology for future foods. In the United States market, it is anticipated that there would be an increase in the availability of recently produced veggies across retail channels as more consumer insights into fresh-from-farm-to-table food are created. The UK government has placed AI at the center of its expanding productivity goals in its industrial policy. Growing worries about nutrition and food security are predicted to create a variety of new chances for the business to flourish.

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Impact of COVID-19 on the Global Digital Agriculture Market

The impact of COVID-19 resulted in significant and widespread increase in the global food insecurity, impacting vulnerable households in virtually every nation, and the effects are anticipated to last through 2022. Even before COVID-19, reduced wages and disrupted supply chains, chronic and acute hunger were on the rise for a variety of causes, including conflict, socioeconomic conditions, natural catastrophes, climate change, and pests. The consequences of COVID-19 on vulnerable households have led in considerable and widespread increases in global food insecurity. These effects are expected to persist through 2022.

Although the forecast for important grain production globally is still favorable, increased prices are a result of the strong demand, weather-related issues, macroeconomic variables, and supply disruptions brought on by COVID-19. Retail food prices are rising significantly in several countries, which points to supply disruptions brought on by COVID-19 social distancing policies, currency devaluations, and other factors. Individuals in low- and middle-income countries are more impacted by rising food prices than people in high-income countries as they spend a larger percentage of their income on food. Due to the restrictions, consumers were forced to prepare their own meals at home. Furthermore, individuals are staying away from marketplaces and supermarkets due to the possibility of getting COVID-19 virus. In addition to producers, distributors, and consumers, labor-intensive food processing industries have also been impacted by supply chain interruptions.

Competitive Landscape

The existence of several regional and local suppliers is what defines the global digital agricultural market. The digital agriculture market is competitive with domestic, regional, and international companies are all competing for a sizeable piece of the market share. Some of the prominent player in the global digital agriculture market includes Agrellus, Inc., Agri Marketplace, Agrofy, Agrostar, COFCO International, Crofarm Agriproducts Pvt. Ltd., DeHaat, Eden Farm, Farmcrowdy, Kaset Thai Hitech Co., Ltd., Ninjacart Platform (63Ideas Infolabs Pvt. Ltd.), Tanihub, WayCool Foods and Products Pvt Ltd.

By expanding their service offerings and introducing better consumer packages and discounts, the companies continue to lead the industry. In addition to producers, distributors, and consumers, labor-intensive food processing industries have also been impacted by supply chain interruptions. A variety of tactics are used, including signing agreements, mergers, and strategic alliances. For instance, for the purpose of offering an international precision agricultural solution, IBM teamed up with Solinftec. Unparalleled IBM climate-based information is combined with Solinftec's artificial intelligence and powerful algorithms to offer real-time decision-making solutions to improve operation efficiency, usage of inputs, and agricultural compliance, which reduces environmental impact.

Don’t miss the business opportunity of the Global Digital Agriculture Market Consult our analysts to gain crucial insights and facilitate your business growth.

The report's in-depth analysis provides information about growth potential, upcoming trends, and global digital agriculture market. It also highlights the factors driving forecasts of total market size. The report promises to provide recent technology trends in the global digital agriculture market along with industry insights to help decision-makers make sound strategic decisions. Furthermore, the report also analyses the market's growth drivers, challenges, and competitive dynamics.

Recent Developments

  • In April 2021, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Microsoft India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a pilot initiative to promote digital agriculture in 100 communities across six states. Microsoft will launch a pilot project in 100 villages across ten districts in six states (UP, MP, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh) to build a farmer interface for smart and well-organized agriculture, including post-harvest management and distribution.
  • In February 2021, IBM and Solinftec collaborated to provide precision agricultural solutions throughout the world. IBM's unrivaled climate understanding, combined with Solinftec’s artificial intelligence and advanced algorithms, result in real-time decision-making solutions that improve operation efficiency, input utilization, and agricultural compliance, resulting in lower environmental impact.

Scope of Report:

Attribute Details
Years Considered Historical data – 2018-2021
Base Year – 2021
Forecast – 2022 – 2028
Facts Covered Revenue in USD Million
Market Coverage North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa
Product/Service Segmentation By component type, by application, by deployment, and by region
Key Players The key players operating in the global digital agriculture market are et are Agrellus, Inc., Agri Marketplace, Agrofy, Agrostar, COFCO International, Crofarm Agriproducts Pvt. Ltd., DeHaat, Eden Farm, Farmcrowdy, Kaset Thai Hitech Co., Ltd., Ninjacart Platform (63Ideas Infolabs Pvt. Ltd.), Tanihub, WayCool Foods and Products Pvt Ltd, and other prominent players

By Component Type

  • Hardware
  • Software
  • Devices

By Application

  • Field Mapping
  • Livestock Monitoring
  • Greenhouse Farming
  • Crop Scouting
  • Weather Tracking
  • Drone Analytics
  • Financial Management
  • Farm Inventory Management
  • Others

By Deployment

  • Cloud
  • On-Premise
  • Hybrid

By Region

  • North America
  • Europe
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Latin America
  • Middle East and Africa

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What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Avocados are primarily cultivated in developing countries.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Avocados are primarily cultivated in Mexico, particularly in the state of Michoacán.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Avocado is primarily cultivated in Central and South America.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Mexican State of Jalisco
South America
Mexico
Central America

"Kenya is a significant producer and exporter of avocados, with the fruit accounting for a substantial portion of the country's fruit and horticultural exports."

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Content: SMEs get information portal on export market opportunities

Small and medium sized enterprises eyeing the export market will soon access an information portal on how to improve their businesses abroad.

The exporters portal will contain information regarding the requirements for participating in export trade as well as market intelligence on the products that are likely to do well in the export market.

“The information on the platform will be provided through various windows, which will take aspiring exporters through the market requirements, as well as walk them through the exporting process. Exporters will also get an opportunity to engage experts on the subject matter via the platform,” noted Dr Wilfred Marube, CEO of The Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA).

Marube said the platform, which took a year and a half to develop, is complete and only remains to be officially launched.

It was formulated through stakeholder collaboration to create a digital linkage with other government agencies such as KenTrade, the Kenya Plant Health Inspecorate Service, among others.

This collaboration was aimed at reducing the inefficiencies caused by repetitiveness in licensing among other processes that SMEs have to go through before they qualify to conduct business in the export market.

“There is a lot of duplication and repetitiveness in the export business. Many times, you find an SME has to go through a list of 10 requirements from different state agencies to meet the threshold for exporting. We wanted to have a situation whereby at any point, anybody walking through the portal can access all the information they need about exporting,” said Dr Marube.

Register sellers

The platform will also register sellers in the local market, and buyers in the foreign market, allowing them to transact on the digital space.

By extension, this move is expected to remove unscrupulous middlemen from the supply chain.

“We understand that we need to link very many players, that is the entrepreneurs, the producers and exporters with other players in government departments as well as in private sector, and that is what this platform seeks to do,” the CEO added.

Marube said KEPROBA has also initiated an exporters academy as part of its efforts to boost the volume of exports. The Academy has training modules which seek to create awareness around export trade.

He noted that there are many people who have potential to become exporters but are not aware that there are opportunities within the export ecosystem. The academy also seeks to generate interest and encourage more people to participate in export trade, by outlining some of the loopholes they can use to easily benefit from the business.

“The export sector has numerous value chains, and it is not just about exporting these products in their rawest form. We can have value addition, where we move to exporting packaged products which could fetch us more money.”

That means one does not have to be a producer or farmer to be able to export. You can buy the products locally, take them through the due process in value addition then export.

Statistics indicate that Kenya is yet to tap into its full exporting potential, with most of its produce consumed locally. However, an increase in international demand for Kenya’s produce has seen this change, and over the years, the volume of exports from the country has been on an upward trajectory.

According to data from the Horticulture Directorate, the volume of avocado produced, for instance, has jumped by almost 60 percent over a course of 10 years from 145,000 tons to 365,000 tons to meet the growing demand in the export market.

Fruit exports

Avocado now accounts for nearly half of the country’s fruit exports, and nearly one fifth of the country’s horticultural exports. In the year 2020, Kenya exported nearly 70,000 tons of the fruit, a 16 percent jump from 59,000 tons exported in 2019, fetching the country Sh14 billion in foreign revenue.

This figure of avocado exports, among other horticultural produce could go higher, but a lack of awareness on the requirements from foreign markets has impeded many small holder farmers from participating in export trade.

“There are many things that people do not know about the export market. The European Union, for instance, in its policies cannot purchase any produce grown in a deforested area, so, if you cut trees to plant pineapples for instance, the EU cannot purchase those pineapples,” noted Dr Marube.

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What are the positive effects of the global demand for avocados on the countries and regions that produce and export them?

Avocados are cultivated in Peru, among other places, as it is mentioned as a source of imported avocados.

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Opinion

The party of food security vs. the party of climate change

In 1929, rail workers angered by deep cuts in wages threatened a strike that would have substantially cut New York City’s food supply. About 1,300 railcars worth of food flowed into the city every day and the sudden possibility of it grinding to a halt sent waves of concern through the city.

There were about 7 million people to feed in New York City then. Today there are nearly 9 million. And while food shipments rely less on rail and more on trucks today, New Yorkers and the millions more Americans in cities across the country face a more serious threat to the foods they need and enjoy: a changing climate. As extreme weather events grow in prominence, threatening ports and trade routes, and farmers face ever-growing challenges bringing food to market, can we continue to feed everyone? People are already concerned — and the future outlook may very well depend on who you vote for in the midterm elections.

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The entire food system faces subtle to profound changes that are beginning to creep up on us. For starters, bear in mind that only less than 5% of our food comes from nearby farms, while the rest may travel hundreds to thousands of miles, by truck, ship, rail and even plane before finally arriving at your grocer. Superstorm Sandy brought food distribution in New York City to a standstill and Hurricane Harvey nearly stopped all transportation — rail, truck, and delivery by ship at the largest port in the U.S., when it hit Houston. The water level in the Mississippi River is now so low due to the regional drought that barge traffic, which typically moves about 70 million tons of grain destined for export, is scrapping bottom.

It’s tough for farmers who are scrambling to find storage for harvested grains or pay much more to move their grain by truck. Finally, 60,000 miles of roads in the U.S. are at risk from the increasing risk of storm surges.

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So who cares more? Among House Republicans, 200 voted against the Infrastructure Bill. In sharp contrast, 215 House Democrats voted in favor of the bill that is now helping to address the food-related climate change challenges facing the U.S.’s transportation infrastructure.

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Those who feed us are also facing increasing risks. Farmers in California who produce one-third and two-thirds of the nation’s vegetables and fruit and nut crops, respectively, are running out of water, and what we pay for food is going up. And the drought in the West is predicted to expand eastward. Alaskan snow crab populations have crashed by more than 80% in the past few years, likely due to warming ocean waters, forcing a cancellation of this year’s harvest, and having a devastating impact on those who depend on the crabs for their livelihood. Hurricane Ian just clobbered Florida’s farmers with losses estimated as high as $1.6 billion.

And it’s not just about food. Cotton, the biggest crop in Texas, has been hit hard by drought and high temperatures, reducing this year’s production by $2 billion. Rural communities will feel the economic impact. The challenges will only worsen as climate change intensifies — if we do nothing about it.

For farmers, the stewards of the land, it’s no longer business as usual. It’s already a tough profession, agriculture being one of the most hazardous industries, even for family members who work on the farm, and with suicide rates higher than most other occupations. And the task of feeding us falls to just a few — one of every 75 employed people in the U.S. is a farmer or rancher — producing more than 80% of our food. The 2.5 million hired farm workers in the U.S. who help plant, raise and harvest our crops are at increasing risk from extreme heat and their employment is more uncertain as climate change stresses crops.

They all face the challenge of feeding us every day, but thanks to the congressional Democrats, the Inflation Reduction Act was passed and now billions of dollars are helping farmers face up to climate change. Not a single Republican voted in favor of that bill.

Climate change also threatens the food we import. Glaciers, the source of irrigation water for grapes, blueberries, avocados and asparagus that we import from Peru each year are melting away. Coffee, a drink that more than 45% of Republicans want protected from climate change, is in jeopardy. Worldwide, spices, 75% of which are produced in India, are at risk from extreme weather. The land suitable for olive farming in Spain, the world’s largest producer, is predicted to drop by 80% in the coming years. Brazil nuts, most of which come from Bolivia; Tequila from Mexico; coconuts, 70% of which are threatened by rising seas; and tea, the world’s second most popular drink, are all in the climate change bullseye. Globally, climate change is severely impacting food security for millions and raising the specter of political and social unrest.

There is a major partisan divide in Washington and across the country over climate change. But we all eat. Congressional Democrats are striving to keep us fed, the Republicans are not. If the Republicans gain control on Nov. 8, they will do whatever they can to roll back the progress being made on confronting climate change — and that includes getting the foods you love and need to your table.

Hoffmann is professor emeritus at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a faculty fellow with the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. He is lead author of “Our changing menu: Climate change and the foods we love and need.”

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What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Criminal organizations, referred to as the avocado mafia, are involved in illegal land acquisition for avocado farming in Mexico, using violence and intimidation to control production and distribution.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

land grabbing
displacement of local communities
increased criminal activity

Avocado farming in Michoacán, Mexico, has caused significant environmental damage, including deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

Avocado farming in Michoacán, Mexico has caused significant environmental damage, including deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?