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person in the United States now eats an average of more than
nine pounds (4 kg) of Mexican avocados a year, the university
researchers found. That's up from just over a 1 pound (450
grams) in 1990.
The report, which was funded by MHAIA, the Mexican Hass Avocado
Importer Association, was seen by Reuters ahead of its public
release on Thursday.
The United States is the main importer of Mexican avocados,
taking in 1.1 million metric tons of the product in 2021,
according to the USDA.
A growing Hispanic and Caribbean population in the United States
has helped fuel demand, the report found. Though "guac," a
nickname for guacamole often used in the United States, has
evolved as a beloved staple among Americans of many backgrounds,
said Alvaro Luque, president of Avocados from Mexico, a
marketing arm of Mexico's avocado industry.
"What we call the 'colossal consumer' of avocados in the U.S. is
related to non-Hispanic males, these guys are the ones eating
avocados like crazy, used in guacamole while watching their
football games," Luque told Reuters.
Mexican avocados primarily grow in Michoacan state, the only
place on earth where avocado trees bloom four times a year,
instead of just once. The state has rich volcanic soil, healthy
precipitation and the right elevation for growing, a trifecta of
ideal avocado conditions.
Michoacan, however, has long been one of the most troubled
states in Mexico, convulsed by turf wars between criminal
organizations.
In February, the U.S. temporarily suspended its avocado
inspection program in the state after one of its officials
received a threatening phone call. Despite the setback, the
Mexican avocado industry did not clock a major economic hit, the
report showed.
(Reporting by Cassandra Garrison; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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