Are Avocados From Spain Ethical?

Grown closer to home, European consumers may consider Spanish avocados a more sustainable and fair alternative than those produced in and shipped from Latin America. While Spanish avocados do have a lower carbon footprint, Mr Egea says there are limits to this line of thinking.

Are there any ethical avocados?

As the world’s most trusted ethical label, Fairtrade partners with farmers to improve working conditions and safeguard our shared environment. Fairtrade first started certifying avocados in 2010, in a bid to address labour rights and environmental challenges in the industry.

Where does Spain get its avocados from?

Growing avocado in Spain is focused in Andalucía -97% of total production- and particularly in the province of Málaga -70%-. The cultivation acreage is around 19,000 hectares, producing 61,000 tons during the 2018/2019 season, 17% more than the previous one.

Is avocado farming ethical?

The short answer is that avocado farming is causing deforestation, destroying ecosystems, funding drug cartels, and contributing to climate change. In Michoacán, Mexico, the biggest avocado producing region in the world, farmers are illegally razing pine forests in order to plant lucrative avocado trees.

Why is avocado not environmentally friendly?

Avocado trees are not much of a help to the environment either. Native pine trees in Central America can absorb as much as four times more carbon than avocado trees per hectare, and the former consumes much less water than an avocado tree.

What is the controversy about avocados?

The cartels charge avocado producers extortion fees, kidnap farmers or their family members, and even steal their land. The recent incident with the US inspector isn’t the first time cartel violence has touched American officials — in 2019, a team from the same US agency was reportedly robbed at gunpoint.

Are avocados worse for the environment than beef?

Whichever way you look at it, avocados are still a LOT better for the environment than animal products. An avocado on toast, a few slices in a Buddha bowl or a small bowl of guacamole produce only a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions and water used to produce the same amount of meat or cheese.

Which country produces the best avocado?

Mexico. Mexico is the top avocado producing country in the world. The total avocado production area is around 415,520 acres, which produces 1.52 million metric tons every year. The majority of the avocados in Mexico, 86%, are grown in the following states: Puebla, Morelos, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Mexico.

Which country eats the most avocado?

Mexico, the U.S. and the Dominican Republic were the major avocado consuming countries. The countries with the highest consumption were Mexico (17%), the U.S. (16%), the Dominican Republic (10%), Indonesia (5%), Colombia (5%), Peru (4%), Brazil (3%), China (3%), Kenya (3%) and Rwanda (3%).

Are avocados native to Spain?

Spain today is the single largest European avocado producer, and exports to many countries. The Costa del Sol, along the Mediterranean Sea from Granada to Malaga is the largest producer, though the Canary Islands also produce avocados.

Are avocados killing the planet?

Intensive avocado production has caused biodiversity loss, extreme weather conditions, extensive soil degradation of the soil and is on the brink of causing an entirely human-made environmental disaster.

Are avocados from Mexico ethical?

Drug cartels in Mexico are also involved in the avocado trade, experts say, largely because there’s a lot of money to be made. Major US firms that import avocados from Mexico and sell them to chain retailers must be aware that growing these fruits is harming ecosystems, López-Portillo said.

Are avocados from Mexico Fairtrade?

Many Fairtrade certified avocados come from small-scale avocado farms scattered across Mexico –where approximately 70% of United States imported Fairtrade avocados are grown.

Are avocados worse for the environment than cars?

Avocados are a plant-based food, which is often comparatively better for the environment than an animal-based food. Transportation can heavily skew, diminish, or increase a food’s total carbon footprint, even if its production footprint is lower.

What is the most sustainable fruit?

Some of the most eco-friendly fruits and vegetables include broccoli, onions, potatoes, oranges, and apples.

Why is avocado banned in America?

Avocados from Mexico have been fueling America’s taste for the fruit since 1997, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture lifted a 1914 import ban, which originally was implemented due to fears over pests like seed weevils infesting U.S. crops.

Why is U.S. banning avocado?

The United States decided late last week to temporarily block all imports of avocados from Mexico after a verbal threat was made to U.S. safety inspectors working in the country.

Why is United States banning avocados?

The import shutdown was triggered by a threat made to a United States food inspector. The U.S lifted a ban on imports of Mexican avocados, ending a week-long suspension triggered by a threat against a food inspector that halted America’s primary supply of the produce.

What food has the highest carbon footprint?

Beef has the highest carbon footprint of any food. This is because of what is required to raise and farm cattle. Animals used for beef production require a tremendous amount of feed, which must be grown on its own. They also produce an extremely high amount of methane.

Is eating 2 avocados worse than driving a VW Polo for a year?

Rather than insist we never fly abroad on holiday he tells us that eating two avocados produces as much carbon as driving a VW Polo for a year. “If you want to do something for the planet, eat what’s in season and eat what has grown just down the road,” he has written.

How many gallons of water does it take to make an avocado?

60 gallons
A single avocado uses 60 gallons of water to grow. One cell phone takes 240 gallons to manufacture.