Global avocado consumption has surged over the past decade, driven by its popularity as a versatile and healthy food, with demand increasing exponentially in regions like the United States, Europe, and Asia due to demographic shifts and food trends such as avocado toast and smoothies.

The United States remains a major driver of global avocado demand, with per capita consumption quadrupling over the past 20 years, largely fueled by imports from Mexico, which supplies nearly half of the world's avocados and benefits from strong bilateral trade agreements.

Regions such as Europe have seen significant increases in avocado imports, with a 23% rise in recent years, while countries like China have experienced declines in imports from key suppliers like Peru, highlighting regional variations in demand dynamics.

Mexico is the leading exporter of avocados globally, producing approximately 80% of the world's supply, with Michoacán being the primary region responsible for exports to the United States and other countries such as Canada, Japan, and Spain.

Countries that produce and export avocados, such as Mexico, benefit economically through significant contributions to GDP, with the U.S. economic output from imported Mexican avocados increasing more than 500% to over $6.1 billion annually, showcasing the fruit's role in bilateral trade agreements and economic growth.

In Michoacán, Mexico, the avocado industry supports approximately 300,000 workers, including those involved in picking, packing, and transporting the fruit, highlighting its importance in generating employment and sustaining livelihoods in local farming communities.

Kenya has also leveraged avocado exports to boost its economy, earning $50 million in just three months after entering the Chinese market, demonstrating how avocado trade can create jobs and foster international economic partnerships.

In Mexico, particularly in the state of Michoacán, avocado farming has been directly linked to deforestation, with criminal organizations reportedly clearing protected woodlands to expand avocado cultivation, resulting in the loss of pristine forests and exacerbating environmental degradation such as soil erosion and water scarcity.

In Peru, large-scale avocado farming has contributed to deforestation as farmers clear land to meet the growing global demand for the fruit, with studies highlighting the environmental impact of this expansion, including the displacement of native ecosystems and increased water usage.

Avocado cultivation has a significant impact on water resources in producing regions, with one kilogram of avocados requiring approximately 1,000 liters of water, far exceeding the water needs of other crops like tomatoes, which require about 300 liters per kilogram, and oranges, which need even less water per kilogram.

In Morocco, avocado farming has been criticized for exacerbating water scarcity, with projects consuming billions of liters annually, despite the country facing severe droughts and declining water reserves in dams, which has led to criticism of the crop's water-intensive nature.

Climate change further threatens avocado cultivation by increasing water stress in key producing regions like Mexico, which could lose up to 59% of suitable land for avocado farming by 2050 due to hotter and drier conditions, highlighting the vulnerability of this water-intensive crop in a changing climate.

The rising global demand for avocados has led to significant social effects on local farming communities, including land grabbing and displacement of indigenous populations in regions like Michoacán, Mexico, where avocado cultivation has expanded at the expense of traditional crops and biodiversity, causing food insecurity in some areas.

Labor conditions in avocado-producing regions have deteriorated, with reports of migrant workers being exploited and paid poorly, while criminal organizations in Mexico have used violence and intimidation to control avocado production and extort money from farmers, further destabilizing community well-being.

In Kenya, allegations of human rights abuses, including sexual misconduct and violence against local villagers, have been linked to avocado farming operations, prompting legal actions and supply chain disruptions for companies like Kakuzi, which faced significant financial and reputational consequences.

Large-scale avocado farms often exacerbate environmental issues such as deforestation, soil erosion, and water depletion, as seen in regions like Michoacán, Mexico, where avocado cultivation has severely impacted local ecosystems and water supplies due to the high water requirements of the crop and extensive land use for farming operations.

In contrast, smallholder farms, such as those supported by initiatives like Kakuzi in Kenya, can promote sustainable practices by preserving water catchment areas, using composting techniques, and providing traceability credentials to access high-value markets, which helps mitigate environmental harm and supports local farmers economically.

Sustainable avocado farming practices, such as those promoted by Kakuzi in Kenya, include water conservation through rainwater harvesting, composting to improve soil health, and teaching farmers sustainable agricultural techniques via an e-learning platform to reduce environmental impact and enhance crop resilience.

In Mexico, governments are encouraged to mitigate the environmental impact of avocado cultivation by promoting practices that reduce water use and chemical dependency, alongside financial incentives for farmers to adopt sustainable methods.

Avocados can be certified under labels such as Global G.A.P., Rainforest Alliance, and Fair Trade, which address environmental and social concerns by ensuring sustainable farming practices, worker welfare, and adherence to food safety standards.

Fair Trade certification, which some avocado producers are pursuing, focuses on improving the livelihoods of farming communities by promoting fair wages, ethical labor practices, and community development projects, while also encouraging sustainable agricultural methods.

The rising global demand for avocados has significantly increased their prices, with Mexican avocado prices doubling in 2021 compared to the previous year due to heightened international demand and supply chain challenges, making them less affordable for local consumers in producing regions like Mexico.

The continued growth of avocado farming poses significant long-term environmental risks, particularly in fragile ecosystems, as it drives deforestation and soil erosion, exemplified by the Mexican state of Michoacán where avocado cultivation has replaced native forests and degraded soil quality, leading to chemical contamination of water sources and loss of biodiversity.

The environmental impact of avocado farming is compounded by its high carbon footprint due to long-distance transportation to meet global demand, with emissions reaching approximately 5.4 kg of CO2 per kilogram of avocados, further stressing ecosystems in producing countries and contributing to climate change.

Choosing locally grown avocados can reduce the environmental impact associated with long-distance transportation, which contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, as transporting avocados across continents requires temperature-controlled containers and results in a high carbon footprint of approximately 850 grams for two avocados commonly found on supermarket shelves.

Sustainably sourced avocados can mitigate environmental damage such as deforestation, soil erosion, and water depletion, which are prevalent in major production areas like Michoacán, Mexico, where avocado cultivation has caused severe ecological harm and displaced indigenous communities.

While vegan diets generally have a lower carbon footprint than meat-based diets, the environmental impact of specific foods like avocados underscores the importance of considering both the nutritional and ecological aspects of dietary choices.

In Mexico, organizations like the Jalisco Avocado Growers and Exporters Association (APEAJAL) have partnered with entities such as the Rainforest Alliance and the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization to implement reforestation programs and other green initiatives aimed at mitigating the environmental impacts of avocado farming.

Climate change and shifting weather patterns are projected to significantly reduce avocado cultivation in key regions, with studies predicting a 14-41% decline in suitable farming areas globally by 2050, and Mexico, the largest producer, potentially losing up to 59% of its avocado-growing land even under moderate warming scenarios.

Global avocado consumption has surged over the past decade, driven by its popularity as a versatile and healthy food, with demand increasing exponentially in regions like the United States, Europe, and Asia due to demographic shifts and food trends such as avocado toast and smoothies.

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.

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

The United States remains a major driver of global avocado demand, with per capita consumption quadrupling over the past 20 years, largely fueled by imports from Mexico, which supplies nearly half of the world's avocados and benefits from strong bilateral trade agreements.

Title:

Content: Go to contents
In one day, two politicians were killed in a Mexican avocado.
In one day, two politicians were killed in a Mexican avocado.
Posted February.
29, 2024 07: 26
Updated February.
29, 2024 07: 26
한국어
On the 26th, in the high-income avocado (Avocado • avocado), the world's largest producer of avocado, in Maravatio, Michoacán state, southeast Mexico, two candidates for mayor were shot dead.
Avocado is a healthy super food, especially in developed countries such as the United States.
However, in the local area of Mexico, various criminal forces around the control of circulation is very fierce, resulting in frequent violence.
According to local media reports such as "El Universal", on the afternoon of the 26th, in the center of Malabatio, Miguel Angel Reyes, the candidate for mayor and current doctor of the ruling party Morena (Morena), was shot dead by unknown persons on the way to the car.
On the same night, Armando Pérez Runa, a candidate for mayor of the opposition National Action Party (PAN), was also shot dead.
Authorities speculate that this is a crime committed by forces trying to influence the elections in the run-up to June 2, when the elections, parliamentary elections and local council elections are held simultaneously.
Michoacán is known as a region where various criminal organizations are active, such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Mexico ’ s most powerful criminal organization.
Conflicts of interest between organizations have been fraught.
Last year, the number of attacks against politicians and government associates (Michoacán) ranked fifth out of all 32 states.
At the same time, in Michoacán, avocados can be harvested four times a year, based on the mild climate, etc.
About 70% of Mexico ’ s avocado production comes from this region.
Most of this is exported to the United States, which accounts for almost half of world demand.
According to statistics from professional statistics website Statista, the per capita avocado consumption in the United States in 2022 is about 4.2 kg, an increase of about four times over 20 years ago.
With the increasing profitability of avocado cultivation, many criminal organizations vie for circulation rights.
Civic Data, a local civic group, fears that attacks by various criminal groups may reach the worst levels in history when local councils are sworn in and elections are held this year.
Illegal cultivation of avocado cultivation is also high. At least 300 square kilometers of forest have been turned into avocado plantations in 2018-2023.
In response, the authorities recently said that they will prevent the export of avocados grown on illegal farmland.
邮箱 ： donga @ donga.com

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

What are the countries and regions that import avocados?

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?

Regions such as Europe have seen significant increases in avocado imports, with a 23% rise in recent years, while countries like China have experienced declines in imports from key suppliers like Peru, highlighting regional variations in demand dynamics.

Title:

Content: Avocado imports rise in Europe, decline in China

More News Top Stories

Specialized intelligence company Avobook's week 29 report noted interesting movements in the global avocado market.

European avocado imports saw a 23% rise compared to the same week in 2023. Interestingly, the report points out that this has not induced a price reduction.

. The interesting thing, the report points out, is that this has not induced a price reduction.

Something different can be observed in China, where arrivals from Peru have decreased by more than half year-on-year. Peruvian supplies usually dominate the market at this time of the year.

In the case of the United States, Avobook explains that Mexican supplies account for 40% of the market, while California's account for 28%, and Peru's, 24%. The scenario in the U.S. market shows slightly lower prices than the previous week in all grades.

Review the full report here.

The Global Avocado Summit, organized by the Chilean Avocado Committee and the Yentzen Group, will be held on November 21 at the Casino Monticello event center in Chile.

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How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

What are the countries and regions that import avocados?

Mexico is the leading exporter of avocados globally, producing approximately 80% of the world's supply, with Michoacán being the primary region responsible for exports to the United States and other countries such as Canada, Japan, and Spain.

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 are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Countries that produce and export avocados, such as Mexico, benefit economically through significant contributions to GDP, with the U.S. economic output from imported Mexican avocados increasing more than 500% to over $6.1 billion annually, showcasing the fruit's role in bilateral trade agreements and economic growth.

Title:

Content: Avocados From Mexico® Celebrates 10 Years of Goodness

Published: Oct. 20, 2023 at 7:30 AM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago

The leading avocado brand in the U.S. shares its 10 biggest impacts from a decade of innovation in the produce industry

DALLAS, Oct. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- From making the U.S. the world's leader in avocado consumption, to creating an avocado brand in a brandless category and debuting the first-ever commercial about a fruit during the Big Game: Avocados From Mexico® has paved a fresh path in the produce marketing industry.

Avocados From Mexico, the #1 selling brand of avocados in the U.S., has spent ten years building a brand that is: always good, always good for you1, fun and delicious. With bold marketing that drives demand, strategic partnerships with CPG brands and a robust seasonal strategy all year, Avocados From Mexico has become known as a disruptive, world-class marketer and innovation powerhouse.

This October marks the 10th anniversary of Avocados From Mexico. While attending the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) trade show this week, Avocados From Mexico is celebrating this milestone, and the strategy that has defined the past decade of growth. The brand released its top 10 impacts since becoming a brand, along with an infographic that shares exactly what the brand has been cooking up for a decade and the results of some truly delicious innovations.

"This anniversary is a major milestone for Avocados From Mexico," said Avocados From Mexico President and CEO, Alvaro Luque. "We are celebrating 10 years of goodness, 10 years of growth, 10 years of driving demand for avocados in the U.S., 10 years of relentless passion for innovation, strong performance and fun. I'm so proud of all we have done, and I truly can't wait to see what we can accomplish next."

The fruits of the brand's decade of labor include:

  • Avocados From Mexico is the preferred brand of avocados in the U.S. The brand nearly tripled brand preference, reaching more than 50%.2
  • In 2015, the brand became the first produce brand to advertise during the Big Game, highlighting the synergy between avocados and football season.
  • In 2020, the brand was named one of the 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators by FastCompany, and in 2021, was #1 in FastCompany's Most Innovative Companies in the world in the branding category.
  • The brand also more than doubled the U.S. avocado market; now eight out of 10 avocados in the U.S. come from Mexico.3
  • The brand created a win-win story between two countries. The U.S. economic output of imported avocados from Mexico has increased more than 500% and its U.S. GDP is up five times to more than $6.1B annually.4
  • Avocados From Mexico reinvented shopper marketing, achieving growth in household penetration by six million new households and 19% growth in purchase frequency.
  • The brand avo-educated U.S. foodservice operators and retailer partners through Avocado University, the 1st and only certified avocado education program.
  • Avocados From Mexico also freshened up menus with avocados, seeing 20% growth in foodservice market share and in menu penetration.5

"In ten years, Avocados From Mexico has become the top-selling, most recognized avocado brand in the U.S. and the most innovative company in produce marketing. I would like to thank our employees, growers, packers, importers and partners, who have laid the groundwork for our success and have built the path for the bright future ahead of us," said Luque.

For 10 years, Avocados From Mexico has built a platform on goodness. Goodness for consumers, by bringing more high-quality, nutritious avocados to their tables at home and in restaurants. Goodness for the retailers, by supporting them with innovative marketing and growing the market. Goodness for the environment by embedding sustainable practices into the avocado industry, and goodness with fun times. The brand is always good, for everyone the brand touches, for the first 10 years, and the next.

To learn more about Avocados From Mexico, visit https://avocadosfrommexico.com, Facebook (facebook.com/avocadosfrommexico), Instagram (@avocadosfrommexico) or Twitter (@AvosFromMexico).

About Avocados From Mexico
Avocados From Mexico is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA), formed for the purpose of advertising, promotion, public relations and research for all stakeholders of Avocados From Mexico. Under agreements, MHAIA and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers & Packers of Mexico (APEAM) have combined resources to fund and manage Avocados From Mexico, with the intent to provide a focused, highly- effective and efficient marketing program in the United States. Avocados From Mexico is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

Sources

  1. Fresh avocados are a heart-healthy fruit. They provide naturally good fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. Source: https://avocadosfrommexico.com/avocado-nutrition/
  2. Hall & Partners Brand Tracking
  3. Hass Avocado Board Volume Data
  4. Texas A&M: The Economic Benefits of U.S. Avocado Imports from Mexico, 2022 Update
  5. Technomic: Volumetric Study, Dec 2022

View original content to download multimedia:

SOURCE Avocados From Mexico

The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.

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?

In Michoacán, Mexico, the avocado industry supports approximately 300,000 workers, including those involved in picking, packing, and transporting the fruit, highlighting its importance in generating employment and sustaining livelihoods in local farming communities.

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?

Kenya has also leveraged avocado exports to boost its economy, earning $50 million in just three months after entering the Chinese market, demonstrating how avocado trade can create jobs and foster international economic partnerships.

Title:

Content: Let Kenya, China leverage gains of BRI as it turns 10

Next month, President William Ruto will attend the third Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum for International Cooperation in China. There, participating countries will review the implementation of one of the most popular global cooperation platforms as it turns 10.

Launched in 2013, BRI has become a veritable outlay for international synergy to foster human development through trade, infrastructure construction, policy coordination, financial inclusion and intercultural amity. One of the 52 African signings, Kenya is the landing country for BRI in East Africa.

With over $1 trillion of investments, BRI has catalysed provision of regional public goods, resulting in unprecedented upgrade of infrastructure, especially in the Global South. Countries have leveraged BRI to learn from China’s economic transformation and tap into the proceeds of its development.

A 2021 study by researchers at the College of William & Mary, in the US, cites Kenya as the most successful country in completing BRI projects ahead of schedule. The Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha standard gauge railway (SGR) stands out as the emblem of the partnership.

Other key infrastructure projects delivered include the Nairobi Expressway, expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Lamu deep seaport, Likoni Floating Bridge, Mombasa oil jetty and Konza National Data Centre.

Kenya and China have also ramped up trade cooperation under BRI. In August last year, Kenya became the first African country to export fresh avocadoes to China, earning $50 million in just three months. In June, it shipped out 52 tonnes of anchovies (omena) to China in increased flow of exports.

Besides creating thousands of jobs, BRI is a veritable avenue of technology transfer. Nairobi now boasts a critical mass of expertise in rail technology, including women engineers and drivers. Intercultural exchanges have increased as more young Kenyans prefer China for foreign studies amid additional Confucius Institutes and classrooms.

The success is attributable to strong political will from Kenya’s leadership and efficiency and utility of Chinese companies in implementing large-scale infrastructure projects. The country’s geography, political stability and an educated and entrepreneurial population were also great incentives.

Under the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, Kenya and China have ratcheted up political consultation and policy coordination to deliver more shared benefits. President Ruto has outlined several development aspirations towards the actualisation of his bottom-up economic transformation agenda, prioritising affordable housing, digitisation, healthcare, agriculture and trade.

These development targets align to the BRI provisions, the 2021 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation meeting outcomes and President Xi Jinping’s three proposals on China-Africa practical cooperation at last month’s BRICS summit in Johannesburg.

Kenya and China should build on the gains and forge a new front in development cooperation. The bandwidth of cooperation is as elastic as the creativity and synergy between the two countries.

Dr Cavince, PhD, is a scholar of international relations with a focus on China-Africa development cooperation. @Cavinceworld

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

In Mexico, particularly in the state of Michoacán, avocado farming has been directly linked to deforestation, with criminal organizations reportedly clearing protected woodlands to expand avocado cultivation, resulting in the loss of pristine forests and exacerbating environmental degradation such as soil erosion and water scarcity.

Title:

Content: • En
Drug lord avocado rises in Mexico, superfood wreaks ecological havoc
(Photo by Pixabay _ tookapic)
As a superfood, avocado has gained a lot of attention in recent years, and many cafes and restaurants have taken advantage of this trend, launching avocado meals and beverages. However, as the demand for avocado has increased, the cultivation of agricultural land has also expanded, which has caused ecological havoc in Mexico, the country of origin, and the rise of "avocado criminal organizations."
Avocado is native to Central America, Mexico and Peru, with Mexico ’ s largest producing region located in the southern state of Michoacán, producing 70% of the country ’ s avocado, and the neighboring state of Jalisco, producing about 11% of the country ’ s avocado. As demand for avocado grows, the cultivation of avocado spreads to other states, including Colima. and Chiapas.
However, this wave of expansion of the avocado garden has not been carefully evaluated, but under the guidance of local criminal organizations, with almost brutal methods of deforestation, the local preservation of the original forest has been completely destroyed.
According to the conservation news website Mongabay, one tree in Jalisco is illegally cut down every 75 seconds to be converted into a casserole garden, with around 1,100 trees disappearing every day.
The study found that in 2010, Jalisco ’ s avocado garden was about 0.84 million hectares, but by 2021, it has reached 27.8 million hectares, more than tripled, and nearly half of the state ’ s 56,000 hectares of agricultural land has been used to grow avocado; and correspondingly, deforestation has accelerated since 2019, at least 0.51 million hectares of woodland has become avocado, resulting in pristine acorn. A large number of forests and evergreen forests have disappeared.
Under the avocado craze, criminal organizations also sniffed business opportunities, and the notorious Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes extended his reach into the field, and his Jalisco New Generation Cartel acquired the land of local residents and transplanted the avocado to obtain huge amounts. Profit.
Locals point out that not only private land, but also protected woodlands that require official permission to convert to other crops, and that even if people report to the government that these organizations have substantial control over these areas, they end up sinking into the sea, with the result of course more virgin forest areas being destroyed.
In addition, compared to the original forest, planting avocado requires a lot of water, so after the new avocado garden is planted, it is necessary to build a large water storage tank to reserve irrigation water, which reduces the function of rainwater infiltration and local water collection.
Mexico is not a country with abundant water resources. As the number of avocado trees continues to increase, it will undoubtedly worsen the local water shortage and exacerbate political tensions.
On the other hand, there are also locals who try to coexist with the original ecology and introduce more eco-friendly avocados.
Javier Magaña Cárdenas, a avocado farmer who has long maintained the forest and helped restore the trees, said the authorities should establish a system to help identify and verify the provenance of avocados and ensure that illegal avocados are eliminated by consumers.
Already, many smallholder farmers have partnered with the Rainforest Alliance, a non-governmental organization, and around 1,500 hectares of avocado gardens in Jalisco have been certified for sustainable agriculture.
Sergio Graf Montero, head of the Jalisco Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development (SEMADET), said that as long as the demand for non-destructive avocados in the market rises, farmers will naturally choose such methods, and it is still consumers who determine the future of the ecology.
Updated: 2023-06-18 19: 38 GMT + 08: 00

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?

increased criminal activity
land grabbing

In Peru, large-scale avocado farming has contributed to deforestation as farmers clear land to meet the growing global demand for the fruit, with studies highlighting the environmental impact of this expansion, including the displacement of native ecosystems and increased water usage.

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?

Avocado cultivation has a significant impact on water resources in producing regions, with one kilogram of avocados requiring approximately 1,000 liters of water, far exceeding the water needs of other crops like tomatoes, which require about 300 liters per kilogram, and oranges, which need even less water per kilogram.

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

In Morocco, avocado farming has been criticized for exacerbating water scarcity, with projects consuming billions of liters annually, despite the country facing severe droughts and declining water reserves in dams, which has led to criticism of the crop's water-intensive nature.

Title:

Content: Menu principal
Menu principal
Morocco goes against the trend as UN efforts to protect water resources intensify
Listed Today: Friday, 24 March 2023 15: 57 Category: International
Rabat - The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) has confirmed that at a time when international efforts to protect water resources are intensifying, the Kingdom of Morocco has chosen to reverse the trend, placing profitable agriculture as a priority, in light of the widespread thirst on its territory.
“At a time when international efforts are intensifying and minds are striving to ensure the future of future generations in a healthy, clean and sustainable environment, based on the principle of non-commodification of land, water, all natural resources and all social services, as was the case for many indigenous peoples cited by international experts, Morocco is accelerating today to miss vital public sectors to private capital known as profit. ” He does not care about human life or nature. ”
The members of the human rights association were surprised by the government's rush to miss the water, electricity and liquid purification sectors to make them subject to the logic of the monopoly market.
Here we must recall the huge Zionist project located along 500 hectares of the most fertile western plains, to produce 10,000 tons of avocados annually, which could drain 10 billion liters of water annually.
This is at a time when the Kingdom is suffering from a water crisis due to the lack of rainfall and successive years of drought, which led to the decline of water reserves in dams, and the suffering of the population, especially in rural areas, from a severe shortage of potable water.
The store and its Zionist partner continue to pursue their avocado production project in Morocco, in a “peasant normalization ” that ignores the dire consequences of such a project on the Kingdom ’ s water resources and the lives of the local population.
Moroccan observers see this draining project as a "real danger" to the country's water resources, especially since the area of   thirst is increasing and threatens the Kingdom currently.
Aziz Hannaoui, the secretary general of the Moroccan Observatory against Normalization, linked this project to what he called “agricultural normalization ” with the multiple and dangerous Zionist entity, which is based on the level of the water resource that is depleted by crops that need large quantities of water.
According to experts, Morocco will only suffer harm in its water, and consequently in its economy and development, unlike the Zionist entity, which will reap the major benefits of the avocado project.
Morocco goes against the trend as UN efforts to protect water resources intensify
Listed Today: Friday, 24 March 2023 15: 57 Category: International Sharek

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

Climate change further threatens avocado cultivation by increasing water stress in key producing regions like Mexico, which could lose up to 59% of suitable land for avocado farming by 2050 due to hotter and drier conditions, highlighting the vulnerability of this water-intensive crop in a changing climate.

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Content: By 2050, avocados will begin to disappear on Earth: prices for the rest will soar to the skies
Researchers have found that the amount of one of the most popular fruits on the planet could be significantly reduced by the middle of the century.
Related video
Bad news for millennials and other avocado toast aficionados: the world-famous fruit is in jeopardy.
Scientists believe that by the middle of the century in the best regions of the world, the growth of the avocado harvest can be reduced by an incredible 41%, writes the Daily Mail.
Avocado is a superproduct, but is also known for its environmental impact due to the need for plenty of water during growth.
As a result, the cultivation of the fruit was threatened in the climate crisis due to climate change, which hit our planet.
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Scientists predict that by 2050, the amount of the crop could be reduced by more than 40% due to the vulnerability of the fruit in a hotter, drier and more prone to drought world.
This is stated in a new report by the London-based charity Christian Aid.
According to Mariana Paoli, head of global advocacy at Christian Aid, avocado may be a superfood, but its kryptonite is climate change.
This fruit is one of the most popular and useful in the world, but it is not suitable for a hot and drought-prone climate.
Alas, this climate is exactly where we are heading in the climate crisis.
Note that avocado is nutritious, contains useful fats, vitamins and minerals necessary for human health.
The fruit also contains a large amount of fiber and vitamins, and therefore is often considered as the main source of nutrition.
Moreover, today scientists are actively studying avocados for potential activity against diseases, including cancer.
However, scientists recognize that if humanity fails to stop or slow down climate change, the planet will experience periods of prolonged heat.
In this case, it will be difficult for the trees to grow and tie the fruits.
As a result, the world will lose almost half of today ’ s avocado crop.
In addition, some of the world ’ s most productive avocado regions will shrink simply because the land will become too arid.
The study also says that avocados are not the only product that will suffer as a result of climate change.
The authors of the report also argue that products such as coffee and cashews will be in a vulnerable position.
According to the report, by the middle of the century, the area suitable for growing avocados will be reduced by 14-41% worldwide.
At the same time, a key region in the world in Mexico could lose 59% of the land suitable for growing avocados, even if the global average temperature remains below 2 ° C compared to pre-industrial levels.
Previously, Focus wrote that the superfood of tomorrow can be a very poisonous plant.

The rising global demand for avocados has led to significant social effects on local farming communities, including land grabbing and displacement of indigenous populations in regions like Michoacán, Mexico, where avocado cultivation has expanded at the expense of traditional crops and biodiversity, causing food insecurity in some areas.

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

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
land grabbing

Labor conditions in avocado-producing regions have deteriorated, with reports of migrant workers being exploited and paid poorly, while criminal organizations in Mexico have used violence and intimidation to control avocado production and extort money from farmers, further destabilizing community well-being.

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

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

labor exploitation
increased criminal activity

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

In Kenya, allegations of human rights abuses, including sexual misconduct and violence against local villagers, have been linked to avocado farming operations, prompting legal actions and supply chain disruptions for companies like Kakuzi, which faced significant financial and reputational consequences.

Title:

Content: Companies

UK’s Tesco keeps ban on Kakuzi avocados

Summary

  • Britain's largest supermarket chain, Tesco is yet to reinstate avocado supplies by Kakuzi as it presses for compressive human rights reforms by the Murang’a-based agriculture firm.
  • The British retailer on October 11, 2020 temporarily dropped Kakuzi as its supplier of avocados pending investigations into alleged assault and sexual misconduct by some of its employees.
  • The ban stands nearly a year later, even as sources told the Business Daily that Tesco pressed for deeper reforms to safeguard the rights of workers and the communities living around the Kakuzi farms.

Britain's largest supermarket chain, Tesco is yet to reinstate avocado supplies by Kakuzi #ticker:KUKZ as it presses for compressive human rights reforms by the Murang’a-based agriculture firm.

The British retailer on October 11, 2020 temporarily dropped Kakuzi as its supplier of avocados pending investigations into alleged assault and sexual misconduct by some of its employees.

The ban stands nearly a year later, even as sources told the Business Daily that Tesco pressed for deeper reforms to safeguard the rights of workers and the communities living around the Kakuzi farms.

Through its Kent-based parent Camellia Plc, Kakuzi has been sued over the alleged human rights violations by its employees— which it has denied. The UK-listed company Camellia owns 50.7 percent of Kakuzi.

Law firm Leigh Day said that 79 Kenyans had launched a legal claim in the High Court in London against Camellia for alleged human rights abuses by security guards employed by Kakuzi, its Kenyan subsidiary. The allegations, dating from 2009 to January 2020, include rapes, attacks on local villagers, and a man being beaten to death, Leigh Day said.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed Kakuzi this week pledged to accelerate human rights reforms to comply with international standards.

“We are taking any issues on human rights extremely seriously,” Wilson Odio, the Kakuzi assistant general manager in charge of corporate affairs, told the Business Daily in an interview on Wednesday.

“We are cognizant of the fact that going forward businesses will more and more have to observe human rights in the course of their operations. Kakuzi does not in any way entertain human rights abuse of any sort.”

Dr Odio cited some recently instituted measures to address the claims.

They include the employment of a manager in charge of human rights issues, an audit by a global firm on the impact of its operations on human rights, and the establishment of a dedicated operational-level grievance reporting mechanism that will provide multiple avenues through which our employees and the community can raise issues they would like the company to address.

Kakuzi has also appointed former Attorney-General Githu Muigai to chair the company’s newly created Independent Human Rights Advisory Committee (IHRAC) that will provide technical advice to the board of directors.

“They have already started working. Their work is to advise Kakuzi on human rights issues,” said Dr Odio.

Camellia said earlier it would take remedial measures and undertake governance reforms, and encourage its subsidiaries to do the same with an aim of better handling potential future abuses.

The measures include funding of charcoal kilns and access to firewood, building two social centres for community meetings, and employing predominantly female safety marshalls on Kakuzi’s farm “to give visible reassurance to those using access routes and particularly women.”

Dr Odio said Wednesday, Kakuzi has built new roads to give community residents better access to local amenities and hired some as marshalls.

“We are doing what we have to do ensure that where there are human rights issues, they are addressed,” Dr Odio said.

Camellia and its local subsidiary are trying to win back the confidence of customers in Europe who value ethical corporate behaviour nearly as much as the quality of produce.

The value of avocado supplies by Kakuzi to the UK and other countries in Europe in the half-year period to June this year fell by 52.88 percent to Sh137.2 million from Sh291.2 million in a similar period a year earlier, according to Kakuzi’s latest financial statements.

Resolving of the human rights disputes will be important in Kakuzi’s readmission as a supplier of avocadoes to UK supermarkets, including Tesco that suspended their orders after the alleged abuses were reported by UK’s Sunday Times.

Supermarket chains Sainsbury’s and Lidl also suspended Kakuzi supplies last year in the wake of the reports.

Kakuzi’s net profit for the first six months of this year dropped 28.6 percent to Sh194.6 million compared to Sh272.8 million in the review period, attributed to Covid-19 lockdowns and related restrictions by the company.

The human rights row cost Kakuzi and its parent firm Camellia a total of Sh1.1 billion in legal fees and payments to the victims in Kenya and Malawi.

Tesco operates over 3,961 grocery stores in the UK and Ireland, including franchise stores.

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

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
labor exploitation

Large-scale avocado farms often exacerbate environmental issues such as deforestation, soil erosion, and water depletion, as seen in regions like Michoacán, Mexico, where avocado cultivation has severely impacted local ecosystems and water supplies due to the high water requirements of the crop and extensive land use for farming operations.

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

In contrast, smallholder farms, such as those supported by initiatives like Kakuzi in Kenya, can promote sustainable practices by preserving water catchment areas, using composting techniques, and providing traceability credentials to access high-value markets, which helps mitigate environmental harm and supports local farmers economically.

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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 strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

sustainable agricultural techniques
supporting smaller companies

Sustainable avocado farming practices, such as those promoted by Kakuzi in Kenya, include water conservation through rainwater harvesting, composting to improve soil health, and teaching farmers sustainable agricultural techniques via an e-learning platform to reduce environmental impact and enhance crop resilience.

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

In Mexico, governments are encouraged to mitigate the environmental impact of avocado cultivation by promoting practices that reduce water use and chemical dependency, alongside financial incentives for farmers to adopt sustainable methods.

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

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Avocados can be certified under labels such as Global G.A.P., Rainforest Alliance, and Fair Trade, which address environmental and social concerns by ensuring sustainable farming practices, worker welfare, and adherence to food safety standards.

Title:

Content: GLC Cerritos LLC hires Sustainability Director Armando Garcia - FreshFruitPortal.com

GLC Cerritos LLC hires Sustainability Director Armando Garcia

Industry Announcements More News

PRESS RELEASE

In order to enhance its sustainability efforts, GLC Cerritos LLC, the leading Jalisco avocado grower-shipper, has hired Armando Garcia as Director of Sustainability.  This newly created position will evaluate current sustainability initiatives with in the company and define a strategy for future projects.  “Cerritos has shown a strong commitment for its sustainable development over the years, which makes it a very unique company within the Mexican Avocado sector; therefore, I am very excited to undertake this new position and work to strengthen Cerritos sustainability program” commented Garcia.

Mr. Garcia most recently worked as Managing Director of the Jalisco Avocado Growers and Exporters Association (APEAJAL), where he was originally hired to develop its sustainability department.  He introduced projects with Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization, the Business Alliance for Climate, Stronger Together, and has worked on the reforestation program, and other green initiatives that APEAJAL has sponsored.

“Cerritos is known throughout the industry for their sustainability efforts.  They strive to live up to their mission “To inspire agribusiness with sustainability by producing healthy food for the world”, said Garcia pointing to such projects as the responsible recruiting initiative with Stronger Together.  The company currently farms 3000 acres of avocados, all of which are certified by Global G.A.P. and Rainforest Alliance.   The company is currently working to securen Fair Trade certification inpreparation for the 2024/25 Mexico avocado season.

Owner Saul Medina mentioned that Armando will first to a deep dive into Cerritos’ current sustainability projects, including governance, human rights, labor and environmental standards.  From there he will develop a sustainability strategy to define how these projects will continue to evolve in the future, and which others will come to bring in sustainability’s full spectrum into the company.

US division president, Giovanni Cavaletto, welcomes Armando Garcia to the team stating  “There is so much good that the Mexican avocado industry brings to the communities where we work.  Mr. Garcia is a great addition to the team to help define our sustainability strategies and share the message of these efforts with the rest of the industry.”

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What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

improving working conditions for employees

Fair Trade certification, which some avocado producers are pursuing, focuses on improving the livelihoods of farming communities by promoting fair wages, ethical labor practices, and community development projects, while also encouraging sustainable agricultural methods.

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

improving working conditions for employees

The rising global demand for avocados has significantly increased their prices, with Mexican avocado prices doubling in 2021 compared to the previous year due to heightened international demand and supply chain challenges, making them less affordable for local consumers in producing regions like Mexico.

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

How have avocado prices changed in recent years?

The continued growth of avocado farming poses significant long-term environmental risks, particularly in fragile ecosystems, as it drives deforestation and soil erosion, exemplified by the Mexican state of Michoacán where avocado cultivation has replaced native forests and degraded soil quality, leading to chemical contamination of water sources and loss of biodiversity.

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

The environmental impact of avocado farming is compounded by its high carbon footprint due to long-distance transportation to meet global demand, with emissions reaching approximately 5.4 kg of CO2 per kilogram of avocados, further stressing ecosystems in producing countries and contributing to climate change.

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

Choosing locally grown avocados can reduce the environmental impact associated with long-distance transportation, which contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, as transporting avocados across continents requires temperature-controlled containers and results in a high carbon footprint of approximately 850 grams for two avocados commonly found on supermarket shelves.

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Sustainably sourced avocados can mitigate environmental damage such as deforestation, soil erosion, and water depletion, which are prevalent in major production areas like Michoacán, Mexico, where avocado cultivation has caused severe ecological harm and displaced indigenous 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?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

While vegan diets generally have a lower carbon footprint than meat-based diets, the environmental impact of specific foods like avocados underscores the importance of considering both the nutritional and ecological aspects of dietary choices.

Title:

Content: From Vegan to Keto, Which of 6 Popular Diets Has the Highest Carbon Footprint?

Researchers compared nutritional quality and environmental impact of 6 common eating styles. Here's what they found.

Research keeps telling us that what we eat has a big impact on the planet. In fact, a 2021 United Nations-backed study found that 34% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system. Given the urgency with which we need to address this warming world of ours, food choices can play a starring role for anyone who wants to participate less in contributing to climate change.

Food choices are also tricky. With many factors to consider—from ethics and access to nutrition and the latest fads—many of us cycle from one diet style to the next. But if your priorities are carbon footprint and/or nutritional value, then recent research from Tulane University may be of interest.

The study compared six popular diets on both nutritional quality and environmental impact. The researchers compiled diet quality scores using data from more than 16,000 adult diets in the United States collected by the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and looked at vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, paleo, and keto-style diets, with everything else being categorized as omnivore.

Keto and Paleo Tank for Eco Impact and Nutrition

Many of us know that red meat has a high carbon footprint—remember how Democrats want to take away everyone's hamburgers because of climate change? (They don't. Kind of.) So it may not be too surprising that the meat-forward keto and paleo diets ranked as the least sustainable of the six diets examined. And also probably not surprising that those diets scored the lowest for nutritional value as well.

As Tulane's Andrew J. Yawn explains in a press release about the study:

"The keto diet, which prioritizes high amounts of fat and low amounts of carbs, was estimated to generate almost 3 kg of carbon dioxide for every 1,000 calories consumed. The paleo diet, which eschews grains and beans in favor of meats, nuts, and vegetables, received the next lowest diet quality score and also had a high carbon footprint, at 2.6 kg of carbon dioxide per 1,000 calories."

Diego Rose, the study’s senior author and professor and nutrition program director at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says that while scientists have looked at the nutritional impact of keto and paleo diets, this is the first time researchers have quantified the carbon footprints of each diet and compared them to other popular diets.

“We suspected the negative climate impacts because they’re meat-centric, but no one had really compared all these diets—as they are chosen by individuals, instead of prescribed by experts—to each other using a common framework,” Rose said.

The vegan diet had the lowest carbon footprint, generating 0.7 kg of carbon dioxide per 1,000 calories consumed, less than a quarter of the impact of the keto diet. Vegetarian diets had the next lowest carbon footprint, and pescatarian diets followed.

As for health, the pescatarian diet yielded the highest score for nutritional quality, with vegetarian and vegan diets following behind.

The Omnivore Sweet Spot?

Included in the six diets was the catchall omnivore diet, which was represented by 86% of survey participants. Omnivore diets were smack dab in the middle for both quality and sustainability.

However, hidden within the omnivore category were the plant-forward Mediterranean and DASH diet (which steers eaters away from fatty meats)—for people who ate in these styles, both carbon footprints and nutritional quality scores improved.

Treehugger has long advocated for reducing meat consumption when and where you can—it doesn't have to be vegan or bust. And the Tulane research backs this up. They found that on any given day, if a third of those on omnivore diets ate a vegetarian diet, on average, it would be equivalent to eliminating 340 million passenger vehicle miles.

Make no bones about it: Meat (especially red meat) just has a high carbon footprint. Beef is responsible for 8 to 10 times more emissions than chicken production and over 20 times more emissions than nut and legume production.

“Climate change is arguably one of the most pressing problems of our time, and a lot of people are interested in moving to a plant-based diet,” Rose said. “Based on our results, that would reduce your footprint and be generally healthy. Our research also shows there’s a way to improve your health and footprint without giving up meat entirely.”

The study, "Popular diets as selected by adults in the United States show wide variation in carbon footprints and diet quality," was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In Mexico, organizations like the Jalisco Avocado Growers and Exporters Association (APEAJAL) have partnered with entities such as the Rainforest Alliance and the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization to implement reforestation programs and other green initiatives aimed at mitigating the environmental impacts of avocado farming.

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

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Climate change and shifting weather patterns are projected to significantly reduce avocado cultivation in key regions, with studies predicting a 14-41% decline in suitable farming areas globally by 2050, and Mexico, the largest producer, potentially losing up to 59% of its avocado-growing land even under moderate warming scenarios.