Avocado - healthy but ecologically quite questionable

Avocado - the "fillet steak" among the fruits: a delicacy but ecologically questionable

While 30 years ago the avocado in this country was still in deep sleep, at present hardly any food is so hyped as this tree fruit (botanically speaking, the avocado is a berry). They are available at any time in every supermarket and discounter, some even quite reasonably priced.

At first, the small but medially very effective vegan, vegetarian and raw cooking scene has ensured a spread. No wonder, after all, this rich and tasty fruit is a wonderful alternative to butter and eggs. Whether guacamole, salad ingredient, smoothie, vegan "Mousse au Chocolat" or simply a classic spread - the fruit is versatile.

Today, the trend has also reached the broad masses of consumers: In Germany alone, avocado imports have more than tripled in the last ten years. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the import volume increased from less than 20,000 tons in 2008 to around 71,000 tons in 2017. This corresponds to a per capita consumption of over 800 grams. However, that is still much less than in our neighboring countries France and the Netherlands. There, the per capita consumption is 1.6 or two kilograms per person per year.

Germany sources the fruit primarily from third countries (around 50,000 tonnes) - mainly Peru, Chile, Israel and South Africa. EU countries, above all Spain and the Netherlands, produce around 20,000 tonnes.

Demand for the "green gold" is also increasing worldwide. Not without ecological consequences for the growing countries of Central and South America: the farmers need larger acreage. This promotes intensive agriculture, including the use of pesticides, and leads to concentration processes and ultimately also clearing of forest areas. In addition, the avocado cultivation consumes a lot of water: for one kilogram of avocados - that is about 2½ fruits - about 1,000 liters of water are needed. This should be the avocado front runner, in a sense, the "fillet" among the fruits. In some growing areas, such as Chile, this leads to water shortages in the regions. Organic avocados are no exception. For comparison, one kilogram of tomatoes beats with about 200 liters of water consumption.

Long transport routes to Europe in cool boxes and elaborate padded packaging of the individual fruits also contribute to a critical eco-balance. This should not spoil your appetite for the fruit, but create an awareness that this is a delicacy that you treat yourself only occasionally. And by the way, actually avocados too much for hair wraps and beauty masks. Rüdiger Lobitz, bzfe