From the ground to your guac, producing an avocado takes an astonishing amount of effort, time, and labor (not to mention water!).
Americans’ demand for avocados has grown at an astonishing rate over the past two decades, and for good reason. Not only is the fruit (yes, it’s a fruit, not a vegetable) incredibly tasty, it’s also incredibly good for you; the avocado is characterized as a “super food” because of its high nutritional value compared to its calorie count. Eating them regularly may even reduce your risk of chronic disease.
It’s no wonder, then, that global consumption of avocados has more than doubled since 1993, and American demand has tripled in that same period. So where are all these avocados coming from? And how do they get from wherever “there” is to your burrito? Let’s take a look.