In the last decade, the demand for avocados has soared uncontrollably due to its meteoric rise in popularity among health-conscious customers. The trendy super food is increasingly being used for healthy brunches and other chic areas of modern food culture.
Where do they come from?
Chile is the largest producer of Avocados in the world producing all sorts of high quality varieties of the fruit due to its ideal climatic conditions and fertile soil. In 2021, avocado cultivation in Chile amassed over 2,20,000 metric tonnes, which is estimated to be valued at $267.8 million.
In Chile, around 70% of the avocado plantations belong to small and modest avocado producers. The remaining 30% are controlled by large foreign investors. With the rapid expansion of avocados in the last decade, Chilean farmers have begun to consider avocados as cash crops and a substitute for traditional staple crops such as wheat and corn.
What are the negative impacts?
Chile is undoubtedly making a lot of money from the growing avocado industry, however they are now faced with the question of whether the monetary benefits outweigh the negative impacts on their country.
The negative consequences of the avocado industry in Chile outlined below are all growing inter-related factors part of a vicious circle that is affecting the environmental, social and economical scenario in Chile.
Environmental Impacts
Water
Starting with the environmental impacts, at the current rate of avocado cultivation, Chile will face a water crisis very soon. Avocado production uses up a lot of water, requiring almost 3000 litres of water to produce a dozen avocados. This demand for water has led to over-extraction and depletion of ground water sources. As a consequence of this, waterways in Chile are drying up.
Soil and Air contamination
Furthermore, use of pesticides in the avocado industry has led to soil degradation and deforestation, ultimately thus becoming an environmental hazard for the area’s residents. Along the same line, the avocado industry has contributed to green house emissions in Chile due to its large scale use of fertilisers and pesticides. As a consequences of this, the agriculture sector in Chile contributes to over 10.5% of the countries green house gas emissions.
Social, Ethical and Economical Impacts
Moving on to the social, ethical and economical aspect, the communities residing in Chile are also greatly affected by the large scale cultivation of avocado. Nearby communities surrounding the avocado plantations are faced with water scarcity issues and the dangers of chemicals from pesticides. Local activists complain that water is being used for avocados instead of more efficient crops such as potatoes that are in demand among local Chilean communities. Moreover, Chilean farmers are now producing more avocados than wheat and other necessary staple crops.
Furthermore, most of the avocado plantations in Chile are located in rural areas with underdeveloped infrastructure. Water being supplied to these plantations is inefficiently managed and residents below the poverty line have no access to clean water. To make matters worse, in the 1980s the government privatised water rights. As a result, private investors began to over-extract water sources. This has created an unequal economical growth in Chile and has been a major cause for poverty in the country. However, despite the suffering of Chilean citizens, avocado cultivation has continued due to the growing demand.
Another socioethical aspect to consider is the working conditions of farmers. The big avocado plantations controlled by foreign companies employ low wage workers such as refugees and provide them with poor working conditions to maximise the production rate and profit.
Going Forward
Avocado is undoubtedly a prominent source of income for Chile and a major employment source for farmers. The country is geographically gifted for the cultivation of avocados, however going forward Chile must be more responsible with their production of avocados, if the avocado industry is to sustain.
Efficient drip irrigation systems and recycling of waste water are some of the ways water wastage can be curbed. Foreign companies must be made to work on restoring ecosystems and provide better working conditions. Chile should transition to more sustainable agricultural practices.
References:
Times, N. (2023). Good, Bad, and Juicy: Exploringthe dark side of Chile’s avocado boom | The Navhind Times. [online] https://www.navhindtimes.in/. Available at: https://www.navhindtimes.in/2023/04/23/magazines/panorama/good-bad-and-juicy-exploringthe-dark-side-of-chiles-avocado-boom/ [Accessed 17 May 2023].
Image Credits:
Avocado plantation grown at a farm in Pauma Valley near Valley Center, California. © David McNew/Getty Images