The Dark Reality of Avocado Farming
Discover the hidden political implications of avocado farming and trade. Learn how the avocado industry affects communities and the environment, revealing the true cost of your 'green gold'.
12/12/20254 min read
Food is rarely just about nutrition; it is inherently political. Every bite we take carries a hidden history and invisible realities. One of the most glaring examples of this truth sits right on our breakfast plates: the avocado. Known as a "superfood" for its taste and health benefits, this fruit is at the center of a complex web involving global trade, environmental crises, and organized crime.
From Aztec Symbol to Super Bowl Star:
The avocado’s journey began in South Mexico and Central America roughly 10,000 years ago. To the Aztecs, it was known as āhuacatl—associated with fertility and nobility. However, its modern explosion is largely due to trade agreements like NAFTA and marketing phenomena like the Super Bowl.
Between 1994 and 2021, the value of Mexico’s avocado exports skyrocketed by over 7000%. While this sounds like an economic success story, the reality on the ground is far grim.
The "Blood Avocado" and Cartel Violence:
In the Mexican state of Michoacán, the immense profitability of avocados has attracted unwanted attention. As the opium trade declined, cartels turned to "green gold" as a new revenue stream. Today, the price of an avocado often includes a hidden "cartel tax."
Farmers face extortion, kidnapping, and violence. It is estimated that 80% of avocado orchards in Michoacán were established illegally, often through forced displacement and deforestation. The security of the supply chain is no longer provided by the state, but often by armed militias.
Ecological Imperialism: The Water Crisis in Chile:
The cost isn't just human violence; it is also environmental destruction. In Chile, where water rights are privatized, the avocado industry is draining the land dry. Producing a single kilo of avocados requires approximately 1,000 liters of water.
This has led to a situation described as "Ecological Imperialism." Wealthy producers buy up water rights, leaving local villagers with dry rivers and no drinking water. Essentially, Chile is exporting its scarce water resources to Europe and the US in the form of fruit.
Alienation from Our Food:
Marx’s concepts of Alienation and Commodity Fetishism perfectly explain our relationship with the avocado. We see the final product on a supermarket shelf, completely disconnected from the violence and water theft required to produce it. We are alienated from the producer and the tree, seeing only the commodity.
Watch the Full Analysis:
How did we get here, and what does this mean for ethical consumption? Is it possible to enjoy this superfood without supporting exploitation?
For a deep dive into the history, the politics, and the philosophy behind the avocado industry, watch the full video below:
References:
Agroberichten Buitenland. (2021, June 25). Criminal violence threatens Mexico’s avocado sector. Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands. https://www.agroberichtenbuitenland.nl/actueel/nieuws/2021/06/25/criminal-violence-threatens-mexicos-avocado-sector
Al Jazeera English. (2021, June 3). Avocados: Mexico’s ‘green gold’ is under threat [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg85MlTI6Ss
Al Naimi, T. (2025, March 20). Mexican cartels profit from avocado boom, star fruit in the U.S. University of Navarra Global Affairs. https://en.unav.edu/web/global-affairs/los-carteles-mexicanos-sacan-beneficio-del-boom-del-aguacate-fruto-estrella-en-eeuu
Business Insider. (2021, October 14). The true cost of avocados | True Cost [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPrUCcHd3mo
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Environmental Justice Atlas. (2022, May 2). The avocado agribusiness and the water crisis in Petorca, Valparaiso Chile. https://ejatlas.org/conflict/the-avocado-agribusiness-and-water-drought-in-petorca-chile
Galindo-Tovar, M. E., Ogata-Aguilar, N., & Arzate-Fernández, A. M. (2007). The Avocado (Persea AmericanaLauraceae) crop in Mesoamerica: 10,000 years of history. Harvard Papers in Botany, 12(2), 325–334. https://doi.org/10.3100/1043-4534(2007)12[325:TAPALC]2.0.CO;2
HortiDaily. (2022, February 22). Drug cartels threaten Mexican avocado sector. https://www.hortidaily.com/article/9334185/drug-cartels-threaten-mexican-avocado-sector/
Kennedy, L. (Director). (2019, October 4). The avocado war (Season 2, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In T. Schillinger (Exec. Prod.), Rotten. Zero Point Zero Production; Netflix.
Le Cour Grandmaison, R., & Frissard Martinez, P. (2020). Tracking cartels: Avocado trade [Research Brief]. START (National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism), University of Maryland. https://www.start.umd.edu/pubs/JointCOEProject_TrackingCartels03_AvocadoTrade_ResearchBrief_June2020.pdf
NBC News. (2022, February 16). U.S. suspends Mexican avocado imports due to organized crime [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXkGZ52eSLs
O'Reilly, T. (Host). (2018, February 5). How the Super Bowl saved the avocado [Audio podcast episode]. In Under the Influence. CBC Radio. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/undertheinfluence/how-the-super-bowl-saved-the-avocado-1.4513613
ScienceDirect. (n.d.). Persea americana. Elsevier. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/persea-americana
World Bank. (2011, May 23). Mexico: Avocado in Michoacan: An economic hit and environmental cost [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWn36EpYHc0
De Haro, I. (2025). Avocados: Mexico’s green gold, drug cartel violence and the U.S. opioid crisis. World Development, 191, 106942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2025.106942
Henkin, S. (2020). The pits: Violence in Michoacán over control of avocado trade [Infographic series]. National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). https://www.start.umd.edu/trackingcartels
Le Cour Grandmaison, R., & Frissard-Martinez, P. (2023). Violent and vibrant: Mexico’s avocado boom and organized crime. Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime; The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament.
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