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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsKiss Your Guacamole Good-Bye: Drought-Stricken California Farmers Stop Growing Avocados
http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/11/03/kiss-your-guacamole-goodbye-california-farmers-stop-growing-avocados?cmpid=tpfood-eml-2014-11-08-guac
But new techniques may help growers squeeze more fruit from fewer acres with less water.
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November 03, 2014 By Padma Nagappan
Padma Nagappan is a multimedia journalist who writes about the environment, renewable energy, sustainability, agriculture, and biotechnology.
When Chipotle warned investors back in March that it might suspend serving guacamole at its restaurants if avocado prices rose because of the California drought, climate change hit home for chip-and-dip lovers, who took to Twitter in distress.
Things have not gotten better since then.
It takes 74 gallons of water to produce one pound of avocadosand drought-stricken California produces 95 percent of the avocados grown in the United States. No wonder Chipotles bean counters are worried.
One-third of the states avocados are grown in San Diego County, which has some of the highest water prices in the state. In Valley Center, a town that is home to many family farms, avocado growers have seen water rates rise steeply in recent yearsso much so that irrigating their groves has become more expensive than the price they get for selling their avocados.
FULL story at link.
hlthe2b
(102,278 posts)Limes gone to the drug cartel and now avocadoes/guac gone to drought. sigh....
Cha
(297,240 posts)Mahalo Steve.
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)handmade34
(22,756 posts)close down the dairy farms and hay production that goes to feed dairy cows...
freshwest
(53,661 posts)MoonchildCA
(1,301 posts)Nobody talks about factory farming being the greatest threat to climate change.
AnotherDreamWeaver
(2,850 posts)JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)RiverLover
(7,830 posts)So we will still have them unless Mexico is in drought as well...and we should feel fairly guilty for eating them!!
A drug cartel known as the Knights Templar has brought kidnappings, murders, money laundering and fear to Mexico's prized avocado business.
http://www.vocativ.com/underworld/crime/avocado/
LeftInTX
(25,337 posts)Didn't know the cartel connection
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)in the back yard. They were huge and would drop out of the tree and rot because I could not eat them all. I wish I had that tree today. Now it cost $1 for a puny avocado from Mexico or California. Florida avocados are 100% better than those pigmies.
hunter
(38,313 posts)It's rather like a spicy green version of Cheez Wiz.
RiverLover
(7,830 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)as in...soylent green???????
bullwinkle428
(20,629 posts)Omaha Steve
(99,635 posts)More avocado/guacamole is consumed on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year!!!
OS
MoonchildCA
(1,301 posts)...but half of it canopies our yard. We have about 10 dropping a day--more than we can possibly use.
No one waters that tree but it's so mature, the roots probably go down 20 feet.
It will continue producing for about 2 more months. I guess we better get our fill while we can.
jamzrockz
(1,333 posts)avocados come from right? Its a tree plant and its not something you just stop growing because of the weather. You can maintain it even in years of drought and continue when you have better weather.
I somehow doubt that avocados will disappear from restaurant menu anytime soon. Business will just import it from countries and regions where there is no drought.