Global demand for avocados has surged, with U.S. consumption quadrupling from 2002 to 2022 and the U.S. accounting for almost half of global demand.

Per capita U.S. consumption reached 4.2 kg in 2022, illustrating how rapidly avocados have become a mainstream staple.

European demand is also climbing, with avocado imports rising 23% in 2023, and Mexican supplies represent about 40% of the U.S. market while Peru supplies about 24%.

Retail channels have evolved with the internet channel for avocados growing 334% since 2017 and club stores now holding a 14% share of avocado purchases.

Mexico is the world’s largest producer, with 70% of national output concentrated in Michoacán, where avocados can be harvested four times a year.

In 2021–22, Mexico produced 2.33 million metric tons and exported 1.33 million metric tons, with 85% of exports originating in Michoacán and destined for the U.S. market.

Mexican avocado exports to the U.S. reached $2.8 billion, a growth accelerated by trade liberalization and strong U.S. demand.

A recent forecast placed Mexican avocado exports to the U.S. at 1.04 million metric tons, underscoring the depth of the bilateral trade.

Rising demand has delivered economic benefits, including livelihoods for about 300,000 workers in Michoacán and billions of dollars in annual revenues globally from the avocado industry.

Kenya has also benefited economically, with avocado exports generating Sh14.48 billion in revenue in 2021 and payouts supporting local smallholders.

Morocco’s avocado exports reached 45,000 tons worth $139 million between July 2022 and May 2023, contributing to a sector that accounts for 16% of GDP.

Australia’s production has doubled in the past decade, though oversupply has squeezed small growers to profits as low as four cents per avocado.

The environmental costs are substantial, with at least 300 square kilometers of forest in Mexico converted to avocado plantations from 2018–2023 amid efforts to curb illegal deforestation by blocking exports from illegal lands.

In Jalisco, one tree has been reported cut down every 75 seconds for avocado expansion, with the planted area tripling between 2010 and 2021.

Water use is a critical concern, with approximately 1,000 liters of water needed per kilogram of avocados, and estimates ranging from about 70 to 320 liters per fruit depending on context and methodology.

In Mexico, avocado production has been linked to depletion of local water supplies and chemical contamination, compounding stress in water-scarce regions.

Morocco’s avocado growth is straining scarce water resources, with agriculture consuming 87% of national water, dams at a 23.2% fill rate, and a 57% drop in rainfall compared to average years.

Avocado transport also carries a carbon burden, with estimates of 5.4 kg CO2 per kilogram and about 850 grams for two fruits.

The social impacts have been severe in some regions, with the profitability of avocados attracting criminal organizations and fueling violence in Michoacán.

Two politicians were killed in the avocado region and Michoacán ranked fifth in attacks on politicians in 2023, reflecting a troubling nexus of crime and agriculture.

Cartels have threatened workers in the industry, and documented abuses include labor exploitation, land grabbing, and displacement of indigenous and local communities.

Rising demand has even priced out some indigenous consumers from purchasing avocados in Mexico, highlighting local inequities.

Climate change threatens future supply, with studies projecting Mexico’s avocado production could decline by 14–41% and cultivated areas by 31% by 2050, affecting vulnerable farming communities.

Peru may lose roughly half of its avocado growing areas by 2050, and overall suitability could decline 14–41% globally, potentially tightening supply and raising prices.

Some analyses also warn that expansion into new areas to meet demand could drive further deforestation if not managed sustainably.

Producers and governments are responding with sustainability measures, including enforcement against illegal plantations and export bans on fruit grown on illegal land.

On-farm solutions such as drip irrigation, soil-moisture sensors, and smart irrigation systems can reduce water consumption and energy use while improving yields.

Certification schemes like Global G.A.P., Rainforest Alliance, and Fair Trade aim to ensure better environmental stewardship and social standards, and some avocado companies are pursuing or holding these certifications.

For consumers seeking to align purchases with values, options include looking for sustainability certifications, reducing food waste, and buying local when available to lower transport impacts.

Global demand for avocados has surged, with U.S. consumption quadrupling from 2002 to 2022 and the U.S. accounting for almost half of global demand.

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?

Per capita U.S. consumption reached 4.2 kg in 2022, illustrating how rapidly avocados have become a mainstream staple.

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

European demand is also climbing, with avocado imports rising 23% in 2023, and Mexican supplies represent about 40% of the U.S. market while Peru supplies about 24%.

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.

Subscribe to our newsletter

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

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

Retail channels have evolved with the internet channel for avocados growing 334% since 2017 and club stores now holding a 14% share of avocado purchases.

Title:

Content: HAB study reveals fastest growing retail channels for avocado purchases

HAB study reveals fastest growing retail channels for avocado purchases

A recent Hass Avocado Board (HAB) avocado channel segmentation study has revealed the fastest growing retail channels for avocado purchases.

As a companion piece to Rethinking Retail: Avocado Shopper Segmentation, released earlier this year, the research helps the industry understand key shopper segments better, by diving into the retail channels where shoppers purchase avocados, and outlines key purchase metrics within each retail outlet.

According to the study, which was based on household purchase data from the IRI Consumer Network, grocery claimed the majority of avocado purchases across all shopper segments in 2020, but lost dollar share to the internet and large format channels since 2017.

The Internet, Walmart, and Club channels contributed a combined $123.2 million in incremental avocado purchases, accounting for the majority of total net category growth from 2017-2020.

Moreover, the Internet channel emerged as the fastest growing channel for avocado shoppers over the past four years, showing growth of nearly 334 percent since 2017 for avocado purchases. This growth added $30.5 million in purchases to the category over the 3-year period.

Since 2017, the Internet channel has more than doubled its share of avocado purchases, driven by an 11 percent increase in annual household spend and a 30 percent increase in the number of avocado purchase trips.

Club Stores have the second highest share of avocado purchases at 14 percent, with the second highest growth rate at 26 percent since 2017. Club store purchases accounted for an additional $55.6 million for the category, making it the largest contributor of incremental purchases over the 3-year period.

In addition, Ultra shoppers were found to be more likely to purchase avocados across multiple retail outlets. The Ultra segment made up a smaller portion of avocado shoppers across all retail channels in 2020, yet these shoppers hold the largest share of avocado purchases in every channel.

Furthermore, the study concluded that Ultra shoppers are also more likely to make repeat purchases, make more purchase trips per year, and have the highest avocado spend per trip of any other segment across all channels. These higher purchase trends and the multi-channel shopping behavior of Ultra Shoppers is a key factor in the changing retail landscape.

In conclusion, the channel segmentation study highlights that the industry can leverage key shoppers in the internet channel, capitalize on opportunities to generate engagement in high-growth channels with Ultra shoppers, and create marketing and promotional opportunities that bring in shoppers and increase purchase frequency in each channel.

Subscribe to our newsletter

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

Mexico is the world’s largest producer, with 70% of national output concentrated in Michoacán, where avocados can be harvested four times a year.

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

In 2021–22, Mexico produced 2.33 million metric tons and exported 1.33 million metric tons, with 85% of exports originating in Michoacán and destined for the U.S. market.

Title:

Content: Mexican avocado production to fall in 2021-22 - FreshFruitPortal.com

Mexican avocado production to fall in 2021-22

Mexican avocado production is forecast to fall by eight percent year-on-year in the 2021-22 season, according to a USDA GAIN report.

The country is expected to produce 2.33 million metric tons (MMT) between July 2021 and June 2022, following a record volume year in the previous season.

"Growers state that they are expecting needed tree recovery after record productivity and production (especially in Michoacán) in the MY 2020/21 season," the report said.

"Additionally, insufficient rainfall and high temperatures are likely to reduce production and yields in non-Michoacan producing states."

Mexico is forecasted to export 1.33 MMT in 2021-22, eight percent lower than the previous season, on lower production. Exports to the U.S. are forecasted at 1.04 MMT.

Michoacán, the only state with phytosanitary approvals to export to the U.S. typically exports approximately 85 percent of production.

According to the USDA, profit margins for export to the U.S. are typically more than 50 percent higher than supplies sold to the domestic market. Michoacán also exported 22 percent greater volumes in 2020/21 than the previous MY to non-U.S. markets, on increased production. Canada, Japan, and Spain were the main destinations.

International demand for avocados from Mexico continues to increase, and producers without access to the U.S. market continue to seek international markets with higher profitability than the domestic market. Jalisco exported 26 percent more volume than the previous marketing year in 2020/21, mainly to Japan, Canada, France and Spain.

Planted and harvested areas are forecasted at 227,126 hectares (ha) and 225,910 ha respectively, with a national yield of 10.30 metric tons per hectare (MT/ha).

Harvest reaches peak from October to February, with average supply from March to May, and low season from June to September.

Annual per capita consumption is seven kilograms (approximately 15 pounds) per person. While a staple in Mexican cuisine, avocado consumption has not grown in recent years because of high prices driven by increased international demand.

Subscribe to our newsletter

What are the countries and regions that import avocados?

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

Mexican avocado exports to the U.S. reached $2.8 billion, a growth accelerated by trade liberalization and strong U.S. demand.

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?

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?

A recent forecast placed Mexican avocado exports to the U.S. at 1.04 million metric tons, underscoring the depth of the bilateral trade.

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?

Rising demand has delivered economic benefits, including livelihoods for about 300,000 workers in Michoacán and billions of dollars in annual revenues globally from the avocado industry.

Title:

Content: Latest research on the future of coffee
The news is not entirely optimistic!
Science and Technology
Expressive Image
Copy Link https: / / en.rt.com / s9st
The world could lose half of the best coffee-growing land under a moderate climate change scenario.
Brazil, which is currently the world ’ s largest coffee producer, will see a 79% reduction in the most suitable coffee-growing land.
This is one of the key findings of a new study by scientists in Switzerland, who assessed the potential impacts of climate change on coffee, cashews and avocados.
These three crops are important globally traded crops produced mainly by smallholder farmers in the tropics.
Coffee is by far the most important with expected revenues of $460 billion (£344 billion) in 2022, while avocado and cashew figures are $13 billion and $6 billion respectively.
While coffee mainly acts as a stimulating drink, avocado and cashew nuts are widely consumed food crops and are rich in monounsaturated vegetable oils and other beneficial nutrients.
The main message of the new study is that projected climate changes are likely to lead to significant reductions in the amount of land suitable for growing these crops in some of the key areas where they are currently grown.
This in turn can affect both farmers and consumers around the world.
So far, most research on the future impacts of climate change on food has focused on staple crops such as wheat, maize, potatoes and oilseeds grown in temperate regions.
This reflected a tendency for climate scientists to focus on the potentially severe impacts of climate change on temperate ecosystems, particularly due to changing temperatures and rainfall patterns.
In contrast, there has been little work on tropical ecosystems that make up about 40% of the global land area where more than 3 billion people live, with up to 1 billion more expected to do so by the 1950s.
The tropics also maintain vast reservoirs of biodiversity, as well as areas for growing many important crops that provide income and food for their human populations.
The new research confirms and significantly expands the findings from the relatively small number of current studies on coffee, cashew and avocado crops.
An important innovation in the study is to examine land and soil parameters as well as purely climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation patterns.
This enables them to provide a more accurate view of future impacts that may significantly alter the suitability of some tropical regions to grow particular crops due to changes in factors such as soil pH or texture.
The new study complements other recent research into palm oil.
Although controversial and often linked to deforestation, palm oil remains one of the most important tropical crops in terms of human nutrition, helping to feed more than 3 billion people.
Dennis J. Murphy, professor of biotechnology and head of genomics and computational biology research at the University of South Wales, and colleagues recently reviewed several modeling analyses of how climate change affects the overall incidence of disease and death in oil palm.
The firm conclusion was that the rate of tree death is likely to increase significantly after 2050, potentially eliminating many crops in the Americas.
In addition, the incidence of major leg rot disease is expected to increase significantly across Southeast Asia.
Collectively, these studies are beginning to reveal the astonishing extent and complexity of climate change impacts and associated factors on some of the most growing crops in the tropics.
More importantly, impacts will not be evenly distributed and some regions may benefit from climate change.
For example, parts of China, Argentina and the United States are likely to become more suitable for coffee cultivation just as the likes of Brazil and Colombia see their land becoming less suitable.
Many of these changes are likely to be “locked in ” for at least the rest of this century, regardless of the slow and disappointing response of world leaders in terms of curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
Therefore, it will be necessary for us to adapt to the changes taking place in the tropics, for example by shifting the cultivation of certain crops to different regions where the climate impacts will be more moderate.
However, it seems likely that whatever mitigation measures are adopted, many tropical crops will become scarcer and therefore more expensive in the future.
As far as coffee is concerned, you may even go from a common daily drink to a precious drink tasted by the elite on special occasions.
Source: Science Alert
Agree.
This website uses cookies. You can read the terms of use to activate this feature by clicking here

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

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

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

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

Kenya has also benefited economically, with avocado exports generating Sh14.48 billion in revenue in 2021 and payouts supporting local smallholders.

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.

By Maarten Brouwer Nov. 08, 2022
Opinion
Netherlands partnership with Kenya will improve access to healthcare
By Josphat Muriuki Nov. 06, 2022
Opinion
Local pension sector can be key boost to climate investing
Opinion
Immigration reforms needed to spur talent mobility
By Dennis Kabaara Oct. 31, 2022
Opinion
Premium Advice to Ruto: Get public finance management working. Simple

Title:

Content: Digital strategy launched to improve avocado, banana sale

The Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya and donor aid agencies have launched a digital communication strategy to increase the export capacity of Kenyan-grown avocados and bananas.

FPCK is Kenya's leading trade association dedicated to driving the growth and success of fresh produce companies.

Its membership includes producers, traders, and service providers for fresh horticultural produce. It represents the interests of member companies, which include family-owned, private and publicly traded businesses, as well as local and regional businesses, throughout the fresh produce supply chain.

Okisegere Ojepat, the CEO of FPCK, said the Kenya Avocado and Banana Digital Marketing Campaign Strategy comes at a time when Kenya is ranked first in Africa for avocado export.

"It is important that we expand this pride from continental to global pride by devising strategies and methods to increase our export capabilities around the world," Ojepat said.

He said with the assistance of USAid and the RTI's Kenya Crops and Dairy Marketing Systems (KCDMS) initiative, they launched a digital communication and marketing strategy to benefit Kenya's fresh produce market.

"It will be critical in assisting us in increasing the visibility of the two value chains by utilising digital tools to better connect with the global market, improve information dissemination, change consumer attitudes, and improve access to Kenyan avocados and bananas in the global market," he said.

Kenya was ranked first in Africa and eighth globally in 2020, with an estimated export of 69 metric tonnes of the produce between January and October 2021 generating Sh14.48 billion in revenue.

Demand for these processed products is expected to go up in the coming years, making the market even larger for banana growers in Kenya.

By Macharia Kamau 21 hours ago
Business
State to upgrade 200km road linking Kenya to South Sudan
By Philip Mwakio 21 hours ago
Business
Uproar over Najib Balala's bid to transfer agency's mandate on levy to KRA
By Graham Kajilwa 21 hours ago
Business
Regulator warns saccos on physical branches expansion spree
Business
Investors seek to bounce back from crippling election jitters

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

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

Morocco’s avocado exports reached 45,000 tons worth $139 million between July 2022 and May 2023, contributing to a sector that accounts for 16% of GDP.

Title:

Content: Monday 2 Shaban 1445 AH - 12 February 2024 |
Programs
Watch our latest episodes online
“The Israeli Avocado. ”
Renewed Debate in Morocco
Controversy has resurfaced in Morocco over crops that experts say drain more water than their revenues after years of drought and the effects of climate change.
An Israeli investment project in Morocco to produce avocados has faced criticism, although authorities have denied that fruit farming has any harm to water, and experts have linked the country's water crisis to management problems rather than specific ones.
In 2021, the Israeli company Mahadrin, which is the largest producer and exporter of citrus fruits in Israel, announced an investment in the cultivation of avocados in Morocco of more than 80 million dirhams ($8.9 million), in partnership with a Moroccan company, to produce 10 tons of avocados annually.
At the time, the debate over the feasibility of investing in a water-draining fruit project flared amid the country ’ s scarce resources, and was renewed recently after the drought continued for the sixth year in a row and warnings about reaching the level of thirst increased.
Moroccan avocado exports have broken sales records for several consecutive seasons.
Total exports have quadrupled in the past six years, making Morocco the ninth largest exporter of this fruit in the world.
The site reports that avocado cultivation in Morocco is currently under threat due to the scarcity of water resources.
However, cultivated areas are expanding, and production is expected to increase by 20 percent year-on-year and reach the new maximum.
According to East Frost, Morocco exported 45,000 tons of avocados worth $139 million between July 2022 and May 2023, and Moroccan exporters were able to increase the number of importing countries from 19 to 25.
But the economic success has been met with internal criticism, with some seeing it as a drain on water and a cause of the country ’ s severe drought crisis.
Abdullah al-Yamalhi, president of the Moroccan Avocado Association, denied in statements that agriculture consumes too much water, saying, “We only take the necessary amount of water for the survival of the crop, which contradicts what is claimed to be a water-intensive crop. ”
Citing a paper entitled “Exposing Myths, ” al-Yamalhi said that growing avocados requires a similar amount of water as other crops, such as apples and pears, stressing that their water consumption is much lower compared to coffee and water-intensive crops,“ which no one criticizes. ”
On Saturday, the Moroccan Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Mohammed Siddiqui, denied that some water-consuming crops such as avocados and red melons are the reason behind the depletion of the water mattress.
Siddiqui stressed during his stay as a guest on the Grand Format-Le360 program, that “the area of   planting avocado in Morocco does not exceed 10 thousand hectares, has not expanded since the launch of the Green Morocco plan and will not expand, ” in contrast, the cultivation of melons has shrunk and become prohibited in some dry areas such as Zagora.
On the water crisis in the Kingdom, the government official said that the real reason behind the lack of water resources is climate change and irregular rainfall for more than seven years.
Do avocados consume a lot of water?
A report from Fair Observer says production of avocados is water-intensive, about 70 liters per fruit, more than 12 times what it takes to grow tomatoes.
The report refers to what is described as “virtual water. ”
Hypothetical water refers to the amount of water involved in the production of a commodity.
The default water content of avocado is very high.
This means that the source avocado translates into huge amounts of virtual water imported from exporting to importing countries.
According to expert Omaima Khalil al-Fann, avocados are like other water-draining crops, as a kilogram of avocados needs about a thousand liters of water.
The expert pointed out in an interview with Al-Hurra website that the problem lies in the fact that the revenues of such crops are not reflected on the individual because the agricultural sector contributes only 16 percent to the GDP and drains human and water resources because most of it is unstructured and its profit is due to the investor.
Khalil al-Fann believes that the authorities should allow such cultivation in areas that have renewable water, which are coastal areas, where desalination plants can be created, as opposed to allowing such cultivation in dry areas.
As of January, the kingdom has seen a 57 percent drop in rainfall compared to the average year, according to Minister of Equipment and Water Nizar Baraka.
This situation has been exacerbated by the evaporation of water stored in dams, with the average temperature rising by 1.8 percent compared to the average period between 1981 and 2010.
As of February 8, only 23 percent of the dams were filled, compared to 32 percent for the same period last year.
At the risk of water shortages, public baths and car wash shops were closed three days a week in several cities, while gardens and golf courses were banned from being watered with drinking water.
Morocco ’ s water needs are estimated at more than 16 billion cubic meters per year, 87 percent of which is for agricultural consumption, but water resources have not exceeded about 5 million cubic meters per year in the past five years.
Source:
• Free

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

Australia’s production has doubled in the past decade, though oversupply has squeezed small growers to profits as low as four cents per avocado.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content
ABC Rural

Avocado oversupply drives prices through the floor, forces farmers to let fruit rot

By Meg Bolton
Posted , updated
Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article
abc.net.au/news/avocado-oversupply-forces-farmers-to-let-fruit-rot/100529294

A pair of Sunshine Coast farmers say they have no choice but to watch their avocados die on trees as Australian growers battle with a market oversupply.

Production has doubled in the past decade as farmers cash in on the nation's appetite for the fruit, leading to smaller growers being priced out of the market.

Wolvi farmers Julie and Tony Pratt have had to make some difficult decisions after making a profit of just 4 cents per avocado on a recent delivery to a major Queensland market.

They say letting their produce rot is now the most economical decision.

"We know you shouldn't do it, [but] we don't have a choice," Mr Pratt said.

The couple bought their 1,000-tree property four years ago and were anticipating 2021 to be their strongest season.

It has been their worst.

"One dollar an avocado [in the supermarket means] all farms are losing money -- doesn't matter whether you're a small family farm or a corporate farm," Mr Pratt said.

"What really hurts is when you see that fruit not coming from Australia.

"It makes it pretty hard to get up the next morning and start up irrigation pumps to prepare for the next crop."

The season would usually end in September in the Gympie region, but the Pratts still have fruit on trees after taking a risk and waiting to see whether supermarket prices would rise.

The gamble did not pay off.

"Because of the sheer volume on the market, there's close to half a million trays a week coming onto the market from various parts of Australia," Mr Pratt said.

Money not growing on trees

Avocados Australia chief executive John Tyas said more trees coupled with a good growing conditions had significantly increased market supply.

"This year we're seeing a massive increase in production with a lot of young plantings coming online," he said.

Last year the nation's growers produced almost 90,000 tonnes, but Mr Tyas said 120,000 tonnes would be produced in the next year.

Industry representative Hort Innovation launched an advertising campaign in June to increase demand for the rapidly growing supply.

Marketing manager Matthew Dwyer said oversupply was the industry's biggest challenge.

"What we want to do is ensure that consumers know the value of the product," he said.

He said the advertisement was a success -- after four months, research showed two out of three consumers were more likely to buy avocados.

Call for locals to support their own

The Pratts turned to selling their crop on social media for the first time to survive the season.

They also had family members manning roadside stalls, which Mr Pratt never imagined they would have to do.

"We just need to shift more volume and it's a lot more work," he said.

But with production increasing at a rapid rate, Mr Pratt said there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

"If you look at a lot of these big farms, whether that's in North Queensland, Central Queensland -- these are guys that have planted thousands of trees," he said.

"It's the first year that those farms are getting any yield from those first few plantings.

Mrs Pratt urged consumers to buy locally grown fruit.

"We have to share our stories for them to understand that they need to put their money where their mouth is and go, 'Right I'm spending, I'm making the choice to spend at my local fruit and veggie shop','" she said.

Posted , updated

What crises have happened on the global avocado market in the recent years?

oversupply of avocados in Australia
prices falling sharply

The environmental costs are substantial, with at least 300 square kilometers of forest in Mexico converted to avocado plantations from 2018–2023 amid efforts to curb illegal deforestation by blocking exports from illegal lands.

Title:

Content: Go to contents
Two politicians killed in one day at a Mexican avocado farm
Two politicians killed in one day at a Mexican avocado farm
Posted February.
29, 2024 07: 28
Updated February.
29, 2024 07: 28
한국어
On the 26th, two mayoral candidates were shot and killed in Maravatio, Michoacan state in southeastern Mexico, the world ’ s largest producer of avocado avocado, known as “green gold. ”
Avocado is a healthy superfood, especially popular in developed countries such as the United States.
However, in Mexico, the fight between 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 Marabatio, Miguel Angel Reyes, the candidate for mayor of the ruling party Morena (Morena) and the current doctor, was shot and killed by unknown persons on the way to his car.
The same night, Almando Pérez Runa, a candidate for mayor of the opposition National Action Party (PAN), was also shot and killed.
Authorities speculate that this is a crime committed by forces trying to influence the elections in the run-up to June 2, when general 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 de la Cartel (CJNG), Mexico ’ s most powerful criminal organization.
The struggle for the interests of the organization has been painful.
Last year, Michoacan ranked fifth out of 32 states for attacks on politicians and government associates.
Meanwhile, in Michoacán, avocados can be harvested four times a year due to 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 the world ’ s demand.
According to professional statistics website Statista, the average avocado consumption in the United States in 2022 was about 4.2kg, an increase of about four times over 20 years ago.
With the increasing profitability of avocado cultivation, many criminal organizations have scrambled for circulation rights.
Civic Data, a local civic group, is concerned that attacks by various criminal organizations may reach the worst levels in history when local councils are sworn in and elections are held this year.
The illegal cultivation of avocado is also very serious. In 2018-2023, at least 300 square kilometers of forest have been converted into avocado plantations.
In response, authorities recently said they would block the export of avocados grown on illegal arable land.
邮箱 ： donga @ donga.com

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

In Jalisco, one tree has been reported cut down every 75 seconds for avocado expansion, with the planted area tripling between 2010 and 2021.

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?

Water use is a critical concern, with approximately 1,000 liters of water needed per kilogram of avocados, and estimates ranging from about 70 to 320 liters per fruit depending on context and methodology.

Title:

Content: Global News
The world today - avocados make a fuss in the parliament of Morocco..
What's the reason?
You are now following the news of avocado causing a stir in the Parliament of Morocco.. Why?
From the World News section and now we leave you with the full details
Mohammed, Abu Dhabi, Tuesday, August 29, 2023 06: 26 PM - The cultivation of avocado fruit is causing widespread concern in Morocco, which resonated with the dome of parliament, where MPs from different parties called on the Minister of Agriculture, Mohammed Siddiqi, to take emergency measures to preserve the water wealth that is being depleted by some export-oriented crops.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Agriculture, MP Fatma Tamni of the Left Federalism Party wrote: "At a time when Morocco is facing what portends a real water crisis, which has prompted a number of citizens to migrate from their villages and the areas where they live, in search of a lifeline, there have been reports of Morocco exporting 45,000 tons of avocado to European countries."
She added, in the same document seen by "Dot Al-Khaleej": "Everyone knows that avocado, one of the most water-depleting fruits and vegetables, so that scientific reports confirm that each kilogram of the fruit mentioned, drains more than a thousand liters of water.
Thus, forty-five thousand tons of avocado, which drained more than forty billion liters of water, would have benefited Moroccans in their subsistence needs. ”
Sufficiency before export
In the same context, Fatima Al-Tamni, in a statement issued by Dot Al-Khaleej, highlighted that “agriculture accounts for more than 80 percent of the groundwater in Morocco, while we are still far from achieving self-sufficiency, which has been evident in recent months, as the prices of a number of basic foodstuffs have risen. ”
“Hence the question of governance in the agricultural sector and the reasons for Morocco ’ s resort to crops known to deplete water, such as avocados, melons and others, although they are not a priority for the Moroccan consumer, ” she said.
She pointed out that "Morocco occupies the ninth rank internationally in the export of this fruit, while environmental movements and civil actors warned against the depletion of water resources, and called for the cultivation of other vegetables and fruits that can be exported internationally to ensure a sound rationalization of water wealth and self-sufficiency."
The need to focus on grain
For his part, the economist Dr. Rashid Sari, surprised the continuation of some characteristics in the cultivation of avocados, whose production is expected to triple by 2027, which is very worrying, and blatantly threatens the groundwater of the country, which has been dwindling due to successive years of drought.
He warned against continuing to ignore these indicators, which threaten the spread of agricultural inflation, and thus the rise in the prices of some food and vegetables, in addition to the depletion of the underground water mattress and the bankruptcy of a number of estates, as well as the shrinking of forest areas.
Sarri, who heads the African Center for Strategic Studies and Digitization, called for the need to accelerate investment in grain cultivation, which is a valve in the face of Morocco ’ s food sovereignty, stressing that the cost of desalination in the country is very expensive, which requires dealing with water more wisely, to avoid exacerbating the thirst crisis in several Moroccan regions and not to undermine the water plan, which cost the state treasury nearly 150 billion dirhams.
Morocco set a record of 35,500 tonnes of avocado exports between June 2022 and January 2023, up 60 percent from the same period last year.
We hope that we have succeeded in conveying the full details of the news of the avocado raises a stir in the Parliament of Morocco.
What's the reason?
In God ’ s care and protection.
Advertisements
You may also read.

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.

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

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 environment?

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 environment?

In Mexico, avocado production has been linked to depletion of local water supplies and chemical contamination, compounding stress in water-scarce regions.

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 environment?

Morocco’s avocado growth is straining scarce water resources, with agriculture consuming 87% of national water, dams at a 23.2% fill rate, and a 57% drop in rainfall compared to average years.

Title:

Content: 1.
Skip to content
2.
Skip to main menu
3.
Skip to more DW pages
A threat to agriculture and drinking.
Where is the water crisis in Morocco?
Ismael Azzam
January 19, 2024
Weak rainfall and drained underground reservoirs.
The water situation in Morocco has reached a critical level, and the state is announcing urgent strategies to meet the challenge.
Does it work?
https: / / p.dw.com / p / 4bNCW
The water crisis in Morocco has been part of the public debate for years, since it was confirmed that the kingdom is suffering from a major problem that threatens agriculture and even drinking water.
The successive years of drought, the depletion of underground reservoirs in several regions, and the lack of significant progress in alternative water projects are the main pillars of a crisis that Moroccans fear will turn for the worse.
The Kingdom recorded a deficit in rainfall during the current agricultural season by 70% compared to the average, while the percentage of filling dams decreased to 23.2% compared to 31.5%, while the per capita share of water resources decreased from "2560 cubic meters annually in 1960 to 620 cubic meters in 2020," according to data of the Ministry of Equipment and Water.
But even last season, conditions were catastrophic, with the kingdom experiencing a drought unprecedented in four decades.
Morocco relies heavily on dams, a strategy for coping with dry seasons, but their succession has significantly reduced the filling rate.
“The water situation in Morocco is very serious and there is no exaggeration in this description, the water scarcity is obvious, ” Jawad al-Kharraz, Executive Director of the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), told DW Arabia, stressing that the weak filling of dams and the continuation of drought are raising alarm, especially with regard to water cuts to the population, as well as the situation of Moroccan farmers.
In some parts of Morocco, there are interruptions in the supply of water to the population, an option that Moroccan media reports indicate is deliberate in order to push the population to more rationalize water, especially in areas where there is a great pressure on water resources.
Areas in central and southern Morocco suffer greatly from the drinking water crisis, including Agadir al-Kabir, which was affected by a significant decline in the water of dams amid a complete scarcity of rainfall, as well as the region of Daraa Tafilalt, which several reports warned that it is threatened by a crisis of thirst.
Many experts point out that the crisis is caused by climatic fluctuations, especially high temperature, as some areas witness a hot climate throughout the year, successive years of drought, as well as population growth, and the lack of rational use, especially in the field of irrigation.
Disorders contributed to the situation.
While surface water has declined due to drought, groundwater is subject to significant depletion as a result of its use to provide drinking water, or for intensive agricultural activity, especially some crops that drain water.
Official reports indicate that 88 percent of water in the kingdom is used for irrigation.
Jawad El Kharraz highlights that Morocco has important laws and strategic plans in water governance, but the problem is also that they are not implemented, giving the example of “licensing large farmers who have exploited vast lands and overused groundwater ”, as well as supporting the application of the law on the“ water mattress contract ” which obliges farmers to manage groundwater reservoirs.
The Economic, Social and Environmental Council (ECOSOC), an advisory body, has warned in a publication that water is being overconsumed and wasted despite its scarcity in Morocco.
He pointed out that there is a weakness in the effectiveness of control mechanisms, and the resort of some cities to use drinking water to water green spaces and tourism projects, despite the suffering of residents in other areas of thirst, pointing also to the continuation of crops that consume water abundantly.
A working session to study the crisis
The fact that King Mohammed VI chaired a working session on the water crisis earlier this week underscores the extent of the challenge the kingdom is facing.
One of the objectives of the meeting was to put forward the emergency plan to deliver water to areas threatened by the risk of water scarcity.
The measures included "filling existing dams, wells and desalination plants", "restricting the use of irrigation water and reducing the flow of distribution whenever the situation requires it," as well as speeding up strategic workshops such as dams and projects linking water basins, and the use of treated wastewater, according to a Royal Court statement.
Morocco announced several measures, within the framework of a program extending from 2020 to 2027, to ensure access to drinking water and irrigation to a number of areas, such as the Rabat-Salé axis, which benefited from the transfer of surplus water from the Sebou River basin to the Bouregreg River basin, as well as the start of the operation of desalination plants in the cities of Agadir and Safi.
Jawad al-Kharaz, who is also a board member of the European Desalination Association, believes that all these measures are very important and needed, but the need for greater measures is urgent, pointing out that the model of exporting agricultural products that consume water in abundance, such as avocados, red melons and tomatoes, which transport “virtual water ” abroad, which is economically profitable in the short term for companies, but destructive for the environment.
The expert also calls for investment, whether public or private, in the provision of non-conventional water, whether wastewater, or desalination, which is no longer as expensive as it used to be, especially with the trend to make it sustainable using renewable energies.
It is also proposed to seek global funding for new projects, enact new legislation to deter waste and reduce the environmental impact of desalination, and support scientific research in universities on the sustainability of agriculture and water.
Skip to next part Discover more
DISCOVER MORE

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 environment?

Avocado transport also carries a carbon burden, with estimates of 5.4 kg CO2 per kilogram and about 850 grams for two fruits.

The social impacts have been severe in some regions, with the profitability of avocados attracting criminal organizations and fueling violence in Michoacán.

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

Two politicians were killed in the avocado region and Michoacán ranked fifth in attacks on politicians in 2023, reflecting a troubling nexus of crime and agriculture.

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

Cartels have threatened workers in the industry, and documented abuses include labor exploitation, land grabbing, and displacement of indigenous and 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 social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

increased criminal activity
labor exploitation
land grabbing
displacement of local communities

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

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?

increased criminal activity
labor exploitation
land grabbing
displacement of local communities

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Rising demand has even priced out some indigenous consumers from purchasing avocados in Mexico, highlighting local inequities.

How have avocado prices changed 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?

Climate change threatens future supply, with studies projecting Mexico’s avocado production could decline by 14–41% and cultivated areas by 31% by 2050, affecting vulnerable farming communities.

Title:

Content: Lifestyle
Study: Climate change threatens avocados
• 1 / 2
• 2 / 2
Thank you for reading about the study: Climate change threatens avocados and now we start with the details
Activists have called for more support for avocado farmers, with a study released by the international charity Christian Aid (Christian Aid) revealing that climate change is having a “terrible impact ” on fruit.
The highly useful and popular fruit, which is high in fiber and healthy fats, requires a lot of water to grow, making it particularly vulnerable in a hotter, drier world.
A study by FAO showed that the best farming regions in countries such as Burundi, Chile, Peru, Spain, South Africa and Mexico are experiencing declines in productivity due to more volatile conditions.
The study, published yesterday, showed that these regions are expected to decline by between 14% and 41% by 2050, depending on how quickly emissions are reduced in the world.
Mexico, the world ’ s largest producer of avocado, could see a 31% decline in cultivated areas by 2050.
Christian Aid called on governments to commit to urgently reducing emissions, accelerating the energy transition and committing to more climate aid for developing countries.
The charity also called for more financial support to vulnerable farming communities that rely on avocado cultivation for a living, so they can invest in mitigation measures.
Stay up to date with our latest local, sports, political and economic news via:
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pin Interest Whats App
Advertisements

Peru may lose roughly half of its avocado growing areas by 2050, and overall suitability could decline 14–41% globally, potentially tightening supply and raising prices.

Title:

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.
Focus's.
Technology has its own Telegram channel.
Subscribe not to miss the latest and exciting news from the world of science!
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.

Title:

Content: Is China suitable for coffee?
How Warming Affects Growing and Supply of Popular Crops
Matt McGrath (Matt McGrath)
• BBC environment correspondent
Have you ever thought that many of the agricultural products consumed on the market today may come from completely different regions in the near future?
Warming climate will change the regions of the world that are suitable for growing coffee, cashew nuts and avocados (also known as avocados).
This is the conclusion of a recent study.
What important information can consumers and growers learn from this research?
Coffee growing
Coffee is one of the most important crops in the world, not only because it is sought after by hundreds of millions of consumers around the world as a daily staple drink, but also because coffee cultivation is the livelihood of millions of small-scale farmers.
On the other hand, due to changes in tastes and perceptions among consumers in wealthier countries, the demand for avocado and cashew nuts in rich countries has also increased significantly in recent decades.
But a reality that must be faced is that by 2050, Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam, the world ’ s most important coffee growing regions, will “drastically reduce ” by about 50%.
However, the areas suitable for cashew and avocado cultivation will increase, but most will be far removed from current production sites.
The authors of the report, published in the Public Science Library, an international non-profit information-sharing organization, call for greater efforts to help farmers adapt to the changing conditions of production brought about by climate change.
Fascinating food
While there has been well-documented research in recent years on the threat of climate change to coffee growing, there is little information on how climate change will affect avocados and cashews.
In this study, the authors looked at how rising temperatures and changing precipitation rates will affect these three crops over the next 30 years.
The researchers also included information on land and soil features for the first time.
Coffee is the most vulnerable crop to high temperatures.
According to the report, in those countries where small fruit coffee is mainly grown (also known as Arabica, Arabica), the adaptability of the conditions under which this crop is grown will change “dramatically ” by about 50% by 2050.
Some major production areas will be more severely affected.
Considering the minimum temperature limit for coffee growing, the best coffee growing areas in Brazil will be reduced by 76%.
In Colombia, coffee plantations will also be reduced by 63%.
However, some areas in the northern and southern ends of the world ’ s coffee growing regions will now become more suitable for growing coffee, including Argentina, South Africa, China and New Zealand.
But the authors of the study say this does not mean that new regions will easily replace existing ones.
Roman Grüter of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences is one of the authors of the study.
“The most critical message for those who are in major production areas today is that farming systems have to adapt to changing natural conditions, ” he said.
“If coffee cultivation has already started in those new areas that are more suitable for growing coffee, it may be easier to produce, or it may be possible to expand the production operation, just by adjusting the management. ”
But that ’ s not to say that these areas will become unique coffee growing areas in 10 years or so. ”
In addition, the cultivation of cashew nuts will also change.
Overall, there will be a 17% increase in the number of regions in the world that are very suitable for growing cashew nuts.
However, the regions that have increased are also not those that currently rely on cashew nuts as a major cash crop.
For example, India will lose a large number of areas suitable for cashew cultivation, while Benin, the main cashew producer in Africa, is predicted to lose half of those areas suitable for cultivation.
Avocado cultivation will also become complicated, especially for the largest producers.
Mexico, now the world ’ s largest producer of avocados, will see a significant increase in the amount of land suitable for cultivation by more than 80%.
However, another major growing country, Peru, has predicted it could lose about half of its suitable growing areas.
While rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns may make some areas more suitable for cultivation, the authors are concerned that these crops, once planted in new areas, will have a significant environmental impact on those areas: more deforestation and erosion of more native species.
“In areas that may become more suitable for growing these crops, the most important thing is to ensure that there are no negative environmental impacts such as deforestation. ”
In his view, to avoid this situation, the stakeholders involved in the local planting industry and the local community must be involved in the process of responding to the change, "must be involved in all aspects."
While climate change may be bad news for current crop growers, there are some positive steps producers can take to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Dr. Joaquin Guillermo Ramirez Gil of National University of Colombia, who did not participate in the study, said, “Utilizing the genetic variability of avocados may help in some areas where avocados are currently grown. ”
According to him, avocados have three different “races ” with different geographical origins, which makes avocados quite“ malleable ” and able to adapt to different climatic conditions.
"Local adaptation and new management methods, such as the use of biostimulants and nanotechnology-based products, can serve as a basis for reducing stress caused by extreme weather conditions," he said.

Some analyses also warn that expansion into new areas to meet demand could drive further deforestation if not managed sustainably.

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

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Producers and governments are responding with sustainability measures, including enforcement against illegal plantations and export bans on fruit grown on illegal land.

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?

On-farm solutions such as drip irrigation, soil-moisture sensors, and smart irrigation systems can reduce water consumption and energy use while improving yields.

Title:

Content: Water problems can be solved if they are solved wisely and together.
According to the assessment of the Eurasian Development Bank, very soon, in 2028-29, the Central Asian region will face such a shortage of water, compared with which the current water problems will seem completely unserious.
Global warming has had a much stronger impact on us than on other parts of the planet.
The temperature is growing faster, glaciers are melting rapidly, the number of droughts is increasing, the hydrological regime of rivers and the conditions of groundwater supply are changing...
As they say, they came.
The round table “Promoting sustainable development in Central Asia ”, held in Bishkek on November 16, was devoted to the topic of water.
Because it is the progressive lack of water that inhibits this sustainable development.
And it will soon cease to be a problem of one region and turn into a disaster of a planetary scale.
EDB Regional Program Coordinator Dmitry Petrin spoke about the Bank ’ s program to return the region to a “normal ” state from the water point of view:
- We believe that only through the issues of joint use of infrastructure, only through digital transformation, only through the attraction of private capital, progress and restoration of the entire water system of Central Asia is possible.
Not without energy efficiency measures.
We pay great attention to the development of human potential, because without people who know how to use the new complex technology, it will not be effective.
What new complex technique are we talking about?
New irrigation systems are not only irrigation systems for fields and water disposal, but also the use of digital technologies and the introduction of modern water-saving equipment.
Today, there are many approaches to irrigation that solve the problem of reducing water consumption.
For example, lateral roller system, underground drip irrigation, furrow and centralized circular sprinkler irrigation, as well as a system of high-volume sprinklers.
Accurate laser field planning, without depressions and elevations, will minimize crop care and evenly distribute water.
In such flat fields, high yields and water savings are achieved.
Modern drip irrigation systems allow you to supply water along with fertilizers directly to the root zone of plants, increasing crop yields by up to fifty percent and reducing water consumption by up to eighty percent.
Irrigation perfectly imitates natural conditions and allows you to save up to fifty percent of water, while increasing yields by thirty percent.
The introduction of digital technologies for accurate accounting will also significantly reduce water losses.
Central Asia, only through laser planning and the introduction of digital water accounting, can reduce annual water losses by 12 cubic kilometers.
And the region has a fairly capacious market for opening its own production of irrigation equipment.
- We also think it is important, - says Dmitry Petrin, - not to forget about safety issues related to hydraulic structures, with the safety of dams, the wear of which is also very high.
It is essential for us that the water resources management system be established.
Not just to invest in some individual activities, but to develop a national strategy.
The experts who spoke at the round table recognized that Kyrgyzstan would not be able to build and modernize irrigation facilities on its own.
This should be done at the expense of grants and loans, with the involvement of foreign specialists.
EDB, in addition to studying the issue of providing the country with effective irrigation systems, is ready to invest $400 million as an investment and $10 million as a grant.
In addition, a soft loan in the amount of $50 million and the same size grant will provide the International Development Association.
Construction of irrigation facilities is already underway or is just beginning throughout Kyrgyzstan, and China, the Republic of Korea, the Islamic Development Bank have already invested in this good deed …
According to EDB Chief Economist Yevgeny Vinogradov, priority will be given to large projects that will contribute to improving the efficiency of irrigation systems and water resources.
The economist does not hope that the largest project will appear and solve the problem of the approaching water crisis in the Central Asian region.
But at least to stop the crisis is still possible.
Tell us your news:
BACK TO TOP
BACK TO

Title:

Content: Sponsored By

LTD Farms, achieving irrigation efficiency

Ag Achievement Award winners, LTD Farms, collaborate with U of A on water use efficiency.

Brent Murphree

March 8, 2024

6 Min Read
From left, Lori, Terry and Trent Dabbs on their farm outside of Stuttgart, Ark. They have a ground water recovery system on their farm that collects all the water that flows across their farm.Brent Murphree

The first thing you see when you approach LTD Farms, south of Stuttgart, Ark., in mid-December may not be the precision leveled fields or the tail water recovery system or the grower’s commitment to sustainable farming, but what you will see are thousands of migratory geese taking advantage of abundant food and water on their way south for the winter.

As an indicator of a healthy biome, the geese flourish as they pass through an area where growers know the benefit of taking care of the land they hope to farm years into the future.

Taking the lead in initiating a process by which they can take care of the land in their charge are Lori and Terry Dabbs and their son Trent Dabbs, the Southern Cotton Ginners Association Ag Achievement Award winners for 2024.

The award celebrates collaboration between farmers and Universities to promote sustainability and on-farm innovation.

“Terry’s involvement with the university goes back to when he started farming,” Lori said.

“Thirty or 40 years, or longer,” Terry added.

Verification trials

It started with verification trials for the University of Arkansas – taking the university’s small field trials and putting them into full-scale, on-farm action to verify the results.

“We’d tell them what they were doing out there on a 10-by-10 plot may not work on an 80-acre field,” Terry said. “Let's get out here in the real world and test something. So, they started the verification program.”

Related:Tailwater recovery system delivers gold standard in furrow-irrigated rice

With the help of the Arkansas Farm Bureau, with whom Terry is very active, the university later developed the Discovery Farm Program to develop environmental and agricultural sustainability for farming in Arkansas through a process of monitoring, demonstration, and research.

The program, through Best Management Practices with goals to reduce nutrient and sediment loss and conserve water, verifies nutrient and sediment loss reductions and water conservation. It helps mitigate nutrient and sediment losses, delivers outreach programs to producers for achieving production and environmental goals and provides information in support of development of the State Water Plan for Arkansas.

“The Dabbs family commitment to conservation is a perfect partnership with our Arkansas Discovery Farms program,” said Mike Hamilton, Irrigation Instructor for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service and the Natural Resourses Conservation Service. “They have embraced several innovative irrigation water management strategies and devices to improve irrigation efficiency on their farm.”

Related:5 things you should know about the rice market

LTD Farms became one of the original four Discovery Farms sites during the first year of operation.

“It took two or three years to get organized and get funding,” Terry said. All those instruments we use are so expensive, so we had to raise money. Once we got it going that first year with four farms, then it wasn't long before others jumped in.”

Data collection

Some growers were skeptical about allowing the university to collect data on their farms regarding nutrient runoff or greenhouse gasses, according to Lori.

“Do you really want these people coming on your farm to find out this real information?” she said. “But we’ve always been Guinea pigs for them, and they knew they could count on us to jump in and support their efforts.”

The need for real data to provide to those who were not on the farm, but made decisions that would impact the farm, was vital.

“We were getting blamed for things that weren’t going on,” said Terry. “So, we needed some third-party data to go to the legislature and say, ‘Hey, we’re not doing what we are being blamed for.’”

They also wanted to make sure that they weren’t wasting resources. If nitrogen or phosphorus was getting flushed out of the field, they didn’t want to be washing money downstream. They have collected the data and helped quantify soil and nutrient loss.

Related:Amy Beth Dowdy, pioneer in the rice industry

But the most focused project on the Dabbs’ farm has been irrigation efficiency.

“Our big deal is water,” Terry said. “We’ve got to conserve water. So, we started looking at water irrigation practices.”

What’s available

The farm sits in an area where very little water is available from the aquifer – the last pumping was done sometime in the 1970s - so everything is irrigated by ground water. Little ground water is available to the farm from off-site sources, so they have to rely on what is available to them on the 2,000-acre farm.

Over-use or mismanagement of water on the farm can lead to a situation where no water would be available for the crop. When they took over management of the farm around 1998, they realized that capturing the water that flowed over the farm needed to be a priority.

Their first efforts at conservation were with land leveling – trying to get the efficiency level up by regulating the flow, use and return of water for irrigation on their land.

Initially an existing reservoir was used to catch tailwater. Several more reservoirs have been built with help from the NRCS and the local irrigation district. Tailwater ditches were built as well.

In the past few years Trent has taken advantage of moisture sensors and irrigation scheduling.

What they’re doing is not necessarily creating a new process. They use Delta Plastic’s Pipe Planner to plan delivery from the water source.

“It takes into account the length of each furrow, the number of furrows that each set of polypipe is going to be irrigating, and then the volume of water,” Hamilton said.  “And it tells you what size holes to punch so that each of those furrows will get out at the same time.”

Pipe Planner is available through Delta Plastics website.

They are also using soil sensors to identify where water is needed throughout the crop. The probes measure moisture at 6 inches, 12 inches, 18 inches and 30 inches down into the soil profile so that the levels can be evaluated at different depths.

Plant water use

The sensors also identify where the plant is using water and where it is not using the water. This is especially helpful after a rain, when the crop may not need to be watered, thus saving the time and energy to get water to the crop. It also indicates just how much water is being used at particular points in the plant’s development.

With funding from the Nature Conservancy, the Dabbs - with Hamilton’s help - are working to determine a surge flow rate that will optimize irrigation and mitigate compaction in their precision leveled fields.

The automated surge pattern would eliminate unnecessary irrigation in areas where the crop does not need more water.

“It's all tied into this and doing more automation,” Trent Said.  “Just trying to figure out ways to increase efficiency and better use of water.”Together, the Dabbs and the University of Arkansas are working to make irrigation efficiency a regular part of growing crops in the Delta.

About the Author(s)

Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters

You May Also Like

Title:

Content: Maximising farm profits with sustainable water management practices

A new guide by Castle Water has highlighted the financial benefits to farmers of efficient water use

In modern farming, effective water management is crucial for maximising profitability and ensuring the sustainability of agricultural operations.

This guide highlights the financial benefits of efficient water use, introduces sustainable solutions, and explores advanced technologies that can significantly impact your bottom line.

For more insight on optimising water management in agriculture, Castle Water offers comprehensive services tailored to farmers’ needs.

The financial impact of efficient water use

The quality of your water management system directly influences profits by reducing operational costs and increasing crop yields. Implementing irrigation systems can allow for optimal water distribution that meet crop water requirements while minimising waste.

• Reduced Water Costs: By adopting irrigation methods, farmers can significantly reduce water expenses. Techniques like drip irrigation, which deliver water directly to the plant roots, reduce evaporation and runoff.

• Improved Crop Yields: Efficient water management practices ensure that crops receive the right amount of water at the right time, leading to healthier plants and higher yields. This not only boosts revenue but also improves the quality of produce, potentially leading to better market prices.

• Lower Energy Consumption: Advanced irrigation systems often require less energy to operate than conventional methods, translating into lower energy bills. For instance, drip and sprinkler systems use energy more effectively compared to flood irrigation, which can lead to substantial savings over time.

Sustainable solutions for long-term gains

Sustainable water management in farming not only addresses immediate financial concerns but also ensures long-term agricultural viability.

Integrating efficient farming practices helps mitigate the impact of climate change and water scarcity, securing a more stable future for agricultural enterprises.

Utilising soil moisture sensors helps farmers monitor and manage water applications more effectively. By maintaining optimal soil moisture levels, farmers can reduce water usage and prevent excessive irrigation, which can harm crop productivity.

Advanced water technologies for agriculture

Adopting advanced technologies is key to modernising agricultural water management. Innovations in this field provide farmers with tools to optimise water use and adapt to changing environmental conditions.

• Smart Irrigation Systems: These systems use real-time data from weather forecasts, soil moisture levels, and crop needs to automate and fine-tune irrigation schedules. This not only conserves water but also ensures that crops receive the precise amount of water required for optimal growth.

• Water Recycling Systems: Implementing agricultural water recycling techniques allows farms to reuse water for irrigation, reducing overall water consumption. Treated wastewater or runoff can be repurposed, cutting down the demand on freshwater sources.

• Precision Farming Tools: Tools like irrigation sensor systems provide farmers with detailed insights into field conditions. This information enables precise water application, maximising efficiency and reducing waste.

Reducing water waste to save money

By identifying and addressing the inefficiencies in their water management systems, farmers can conserve resources and reduce operational costs.

• Leak Detection and Repair: Regularly inspecting irrigation infrastructure for leaks can prevent water loss and ensure that water is delivered where it is needed. Prompt repairs can lead to significant water and cost savings over time.

• Water Audits: Conducting water audits helps farmers assess their water use patterns and identify areas for improvement. This process involves measuring water use across the system and implementing strategies to optimise water application.

• Education and Training: Providing training on efficient water management techniques and technologies can empower farmers and farmhands to adopt best practices. Knowledgeable farmers are better equipped to implement solutions that enhance water use efficiency and boost profitability. For more general agricultural news check out our produce news.

In conclusion

Efficient water management is not just a sustainable practice; it’s a strategic financial move for farmers.

By implementing modern irrigation methods, adopting sustainable water use strategies, and leveraging advanced technologies, farmers can reduce costs, increase yields, and secure long-term profitability. For further information, check these resources on water management policies for agriculture.

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Certification schemes like Global G.A.P., Rainforest Alliance, and Fair Trade aim to ensure better environmental stewardship and social standards, and some avocado companies are pursuing or holding these certifications.

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.”

Subscribe to our newsletter

Title:

Content: Anzeige
Mehr »
Login
Sonntag, 28.07.2024 Börsentäglich über 12.000 News von 684 internationalen Medien
OMEGA Short Squeeze im Gange. MAJOR Hochgradige Entdeckung - 44,32m @ 3,16 g/t GOLD
Anzeige

Indizes

Kurs

%
News
24 h / 7 T
Aufrufe
7 Tage

Aktien

Kurs

%
News
24 h / 7 T
Aufrufe
7 Tage

Xetra-Orderbuch

Fonds

Kurs

%

Devisen

Kurs

%

Rohstoffe

Kurs

%

Themen

Kurs

%

Erweiterte Suche
ACCESSWIRE
126 Leser
Artikel bewerten:
(0)

Plantations International Holdings PTE. LTD.: Plantations International Receives Global GAP Certification

Plantations International Receives Global GAP Certification for its Mango Plantations in Thailand

BANGKOK, THAILAND / ACCESSWIRE / July 27, 2024 / Plantations International, a global leader in premium tropical fruit production, is delighted to announce the achievement of Global GAP certification for its mango plantations in Thailand. This significant milestone underscores the company's unwavering commitment to producing the highest quality, safe, and sustainably grown mangoes.

Global GAP certification is the gold standard in agricultural practices, recognized worldwide as a testament to a farm's adherence to stringent environmental, social, and food safety criteria. It is a prerequisite for many leading supermarkets, food distributors, and importers, who demand assurance of product quality and safety from their suppliers. By attaining this certification, Plantations International has positioned itself at the forefront of the industry, meeting and exceeding the rigorous standards set by the global marketplace.

"Securing Global GAP certification is a very important achievement for Plantations International," said Mr. Gareth Cookson, COO at Plantations International. "It validates our dedication to sustainable farming practices, worker welfare, and food safety. We understand the critical role we play in the global food supply chain, and this certification demonstrates our commitment to delivering products that meet the highest consumer expectations."

The certification process involved a comprehensive evaluation of Plantations International's mango operations, including soil management, water usage, crop protection, worker safety, and traceability. The company's adherence to these rigorous standards ensures that its mangoes are produced in a manner that protects the environment, respects the rights of workers, and guarantees the safety of consumers.

Global GAP certification is not merely a label; it is Plantations International's passport to accessing premium markets. As consumer awareness of sustainable and ethical production practices grows, retailers and consumers alike are increasingly seeking products that carry this prestigious certification. Plantations International's Global GAP-certified mangoes will now have unprecedented access to discerning markets around the world.

This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Plantations International team in Thailand. Their commitment to excellence has been instrumental in achieving this significant milestone. The company will continue to invest in sustainable practices and innovation to maintain its leadership position in the global mango industry.

About Plantations International

Plantations International is a leading global producer of premium tropical fruits, renowned for its commitment to sustainability, quality, and innovation. With a strong presence in key fruit-growing regions worldwide, the company delivers exceptional products to consumers while upholding the highest standards of environmental and social responsibility.

Contact Information

Marvin Lee
Director of Communications
marvin.lee@plantationsinternational.com
+852 5808 3775

SOURCE: Plantations International

View the original press release on newswire.com.

© 2024 ACCESSWIRE
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befürwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgültigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich möglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere über die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.

Title:

Content: New study finds Fairtrade enhances farmer resilience and sustainability

The research assessed Fairtrade’s contribution in terms of economic resilience, social wellbeing and good governance

Being part of a Fairtrade-certified producer organisation can improve farmers’ economic resilience, social wellbeing and environmental sustainability, according to a new study commissioned by Fairtrade Germany and Fairtrade Austria.

The study, Assessing the Impact of Fairtrade on Poverty Reduction and Economic Resilience through Rural Development, suggests that Fairtrade certification also leads to good governance in co-operatives.

And researchers found that Fairtrade standards, Fairtrade pricing, and producer support programmes positively impact certified farmers and their communities compared to non-Fairtrade certified farmers, particularly in times of difficulty and distress.

They examined the same producer organisations three times over 10 years, and studied the performance of a cocoa co-op in Ghana, a coffee co-op and three banana co-ops in Peru and found their farmers had higher earnings and more savings than those in comparable non-Fairtrade organisations. For example, coffee farmer members of the Fairtrade-certified La Florida co-op in Peru reported incomes 50% higher than those of non-Fairtrade farmers.

“In times of crisis, it becomes evident that Fairtrade enhances farmers’ economic resilience and supports them in continuing their profession in challenging times,” said Tatjana Mauthofer, researcher at Mainlevel Consulting and co-author of the study. “The study shows that the two Fairtrade mechanisms – the Minimum Price and the Premium – represent a crucial safety net for farmers, their small producer organisations and eventually, also their communities.”

The research assesses Fairtrade’s contribution in terms of economic resilience, social wellbeing, good governance and environmental integrity and builds on two previous studies (in 2012 and 2018) featuring the same Fairtrade-certified producer organisations.

The study makes several recommendations, including supporting product and income diversification to reduce farmers’ vulnerability and enhance their resilience; setting up credit schemes to enable farmers to modernise their farms; and providing training on financial literacy for coffee, cocoa and banana farmers.

In this article

Title:

Content: Fair Trade USA Announces Felipe Arango as Chief Operating Officer

Published: Dec. 6, 2023 at 3:00 PM EST|Updated: moments ago

Respected sustainable business & social impact leader to optimize programs for scale.

OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Fair Trade USA announced a key addition to its core leadership team. Felipe Arango will serve as the organization's Chief Operating Officer.

Fair Trade USA welcomes key new leader - Felipe Arango joins as Chief Operating Officer

A veteran in sustainable sourcing, with two decades in the Fair Trade movement, Felipe is tasked with ensuring efficiencies and alignment across operations at Fair Trade USA to increase the organization's scope and scale of impact, tackling some of the most pressing global challenges.

"We are thrilled to have Felipe join our leadership team," said Paul Rice, Founder & CEO, Fair Trade USA. "Felipe brings a unique combination of technical and strategic expertise in sustainable development and finance. His experience will unlock our ability to scale Fair Trade to increase our impact for producers, businesses, and consumers."

Felipe has spent over 20 years advancing sustainable development in many roles as a social entrepreneur, an activist, and an educator. His experience ranges across coffee, cocoa, produce, textiles and floral. He is also well-versed in environmental and sustainable finance initiatives. Most recently, Felipe served as a Technical Advisor and Pilots Lead for the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) where he advanced a global framework for reporting and response on nature-related risks and opportunities aimed at shifting global finance towards nature-positive outcomes. He also acted as technical lead with the World Bank Group to design and launch green taxonomies for sustainable investment in his home country of Colombia and in the Dominican Republic.

"I am very enthusiastic and inspired by the opportunity to join an organization with a rich history of impact and such talented team. This is a moment of opportunity for Fair Trade USA to evolve and amplify our impact, and I look forward to bringing my experience, energy, and perspective to help scale the ambitious vision of the organization," said Arango.

As Chief Operating Officer, Felipe will be instrumental in delivering Fair Trade USA's growth and impact goals. He will oversee the ongoing work to innovate the organization's business model and technological transformation and champion efficiencies that will unlock scale and impact.

Prior to his work with the TNFD, Felipe co-founded BSD Consulting, serving as their Global CEO for 7 years, launching their operations in Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and the U.S, providing knowledge and solutions for sustainable development to major global brands and development agencies. He served as a lead auditor, trainer, and consultant at FLO-CERT and Fairtrade International for 8 years, and has partnered with various rural communities, workers, and Indigenous People across the Americas to improve their livelihoods.

Felipe is based in Colombia and is a proud dad to two daughters. He holds bachelor's degrees in political science and business administration from Boston University as well as accreditations from FLO-CERT, Social Accountability International, Global Reporting Initiative and Integrated Reporting among others.

For more information about Fair Trade USA, visit the website.

About Fair Trade USA

Fair Trade USA, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in North America. Its award-winning, rigorous, and globally recognized sustainable sourcing certification programs improve livelihoods, protect the environment, and build resilient, transparent supply chains. The trusted Fair Trade Certified™ label on a product signifies that it was made according to stringent Fair Trade standards. Fair Trade USA is building an innovative model of responsible business, conscious consumerism, and shared value to eliminate poverty and enable sustainable development for farmers, workers, their families, and communities around the world.

Contact:
Fair Trade Public Relations
Pr@fairtradeusa.org

View original content to download multimedia:

SOURCE Fair Trade USA

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.

For consumers seeking to align purchases with values, options include looking for sustainability certifications, reducing food waste, and buying local when available to lower transport impacts.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content
You are the owner of this article.
You have permission to edit this article.
Edit

There are a lot of big and little things you can do to fight climate change

  • Updated
  • 0

As you think about the Earth and climate change, it may feel daunting or hopeless. It won’t be easy to make the drastic changes needed to get off of fossil fuels and other excessive greenhouse gas emissions in order to halt the unnatural warming we caused. A lot of little things can add up that you can control.

Try to live as sustainably as you can. Get energy efficient appliances, and don’t waste energy. Switch to green energy sources like solar panels. Reduce food waste by buying only what you’ll use, eat it right away, and compost food scraps. Donate unused food to someone that will eat it. Try to get as much local food as possible, especially once things are growing nearby.

Reuse or repurpose old items and buy used or recycled ones.

Use greener transportation like biking, carpooling, and public transportation. Switch to an electric vehicle if you can. Same goes for your power tools- switch to electric for lawn mowers and such if that's an option.

This doesn't completely get rid of fossil fuel usage, since we still need power plants until solar, wind, and other renewable sources are dominant. That said, we can greatly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by doing this.

Use your voting and buying power to encourage businesses and lawmakers to take steps that are best for the environment and our future on this planet. There’s a lot more that needs to be done, but these steps are ways you can help.

Have a news tip? Email us at news@wrex.com

Chief Meteorologist

Alex Kirchner is the Chief Meteorologist at 13 WREX. Alex is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist from the Americal Meteorological Society, and his work has earned numerous awards including 3 regional Emmy awards.

Recommended for you

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?