John Myers
Hardly any other fruit has gained as much popularity in recent years as vitamin and nutrient-rich avocado. However, it is said to consume a great deal of water. You can find out here whether avocado cultivation is really that harmful to the environment.
Water consumption in avocado cultivation
Since the avocado is usually grown in otherwise warm and dry regions such as Chile, Mexico, or Peru, the high water consumption has an even worse effect on the environment. On average, about 1000 liters of water are used per kilogram of avocado. Water consumption is particularly high in Chile: depending on the region, 70 to 300 liters of water are used per avocado. It is not uncommon for entire rivers to dry up completely in such areas due to avocado cultivation.
Although these amounts of water appear enormous at first glance, the water consumption in the production and processing of animal products is many times higher. The production of 1 kg of beef alone uses more than 15,000 liters of water, and the situation is similar for dairy products such as yogurt, butter, and the like.
CO2 emissions from cultivation and export
Due to the import from mostly South American countries, the avocado covers an enormously long transport route. This worsens the ecological balance of the avocado in addition to its high water consumption. Even if more and more growing areas in Spain or the Netherlands are exporting to Germany, most avocados in this country still come from South America. The transport and storage of the avocado emits around 800 grams of carbon dioxide per kilogram of avocado. For comparison: With bananas, the CO2 emissions are only half as high at around 400 grams.
More problems with avocado cultivation
- Cutting down the rainforest
Since avocado consumption has quadrupled in the last 5 years, cultivation also requires more space. As a result, more and more rainforest is being cut down. Every year, an area equivalent to about 20,000 football pitches is cleared for cultivation.
- working conditions on the plantations
The problem of poor working conditions on the avocado plantations is less well known but no less serious. The work is hard and the wages are not fair wages. The plantations also lag behind the standard when it comes to safety. For example, in the scorching heat, workers have to carry heavy baskets non-stop.
- pesticides and toxins
Another problem with avocado cultivation is the many animals that die because of the pesticides and the rat poison that is spread. Thousands of rats, foxes, and owls die of thirst every year due to the lack of water in the rivers. The pesticides, which are supposed to keep insects away from the plants, are also responsible for the death of bees in many regions of South America.
What should I pay attention to when shopping?
Even if avocados from Spain and other European countries are not yet so common in Germany’s supermarkets, you can still pay attention to which countries your avocados come from. The closer the better. You can also use local fruit and vegetables more often and only buy an avocado every now and then if you can’t do without it completely. Because local fruits are also real superfoods.
When you buy avocados, you can look out for the EU organic seal. Organic plantations are smaller and managed by local small farmers. They also do without chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Conclusion
Even if the avocado is very rich in vitamins and nutrients, its ecological balance is all the worse. Despite growing regional cultivation, avocado consumes vast amounts of water. On top of that, the poor working conditions on the plantations and the relatively high CO2 emissions speak against the sustainability of the avocado. Because even with organic plantations from South America, the way to us is still very long. If you want to pay attention to the environment, it is advisable to buy avocados very rarely or simply not at all.
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