2024-04-18 08:16:27
Who is the star among the tropical fruits? Of course, the avocado. It feels like every second seed from no other fruit is saved in the hope (actually always in vain) of getting it to germinate with a shaky construction over a glass of water and growing a magnificent tree on German windowsills. However, it still remains to be clarified whether the kitchen gardeners want to enter the lucrative avocado business or simply become self-sufficient from the merciless global market.
At least the popularity of the avocado is supported by sober figures from the Federal Statistical Office: 157,800 tons of avocado worth 484 million euros were imported into Germany last year. In terms of quantity, that is around five times as much as ten years ago. In 2013, 31,400 tons worth 68.3 million euros were imported. Avocado farmers or not, people in Germany have obviously taken a liking to the fruit.
That’s not surprising, the creamy fruits have something to offer for everyone: vegans like to use them as an egg substitute when baking, and guacamole is now part of the regular repertoire for a decent barbecue party. Above all, avocado toast, preferably with an egg on it, is considered a new classic for the sumptuous Sunday breakfast. No self-respecting café could afford to miss out on this comparatively light breakfast creation.
Where do the avocados come from?
Of course, true avocado connoisseurs insist that the fruit is actually only eaten in Latin America, where it is much better. In their homeland, people don’t eat the “Hass” variety that is common here; it is only sufficient for export. This also improves the ecological balance; the long transport routes are not only detrimental to the taste. In Latin America, the fruits ripened on the tree are not covered in bruises from potential buyers who want to test whether the avocado is already ripe. (The degree of ripeness should also be determined by the color of the peel (not green, but brown) and by removing the stem. The color of the fruit pulp underneath should be green, with a hint of yellow.
Superfood or not, the avocado boom is not particularly environmentally friendly, despite its CO2 balance being acceptable compared to other fruits. Environmentalists repeatedly point out that in Chile and Peru, two of the largest producers, there is a water shortage in the growing areas, which is greatly exacerbated by avocado cultivation.
Most of the fruits sold in this country come from these two countries: 49,200 tons were delivered from Peru in 2023 and 15,800 tons from Colombia. This is followed by Chile (14,500), South Africa (13,600), Kenya (12,200), Israel (12,000) and Morocco (10,300). Behind it comes the largest European supplier, Spain, with 8,200 tons.
Not yet on all tables
However, the OECD expects the boom to continue, and not just in Germany. By 2030, the avocado could be the most traded tropical fruit, with twelve million tons per year worldwide. That would be more than three times as much as in 2010.
For Germany, the data from the Federal Statistical Office also shows that 17,500 tons were exported in 2023, meaning only 140,300 tons remained here. Assuming that local avocado farmers didn’t have a significant harvest last year, that would be about 1.65 kilograms per person – about five fruits per year. With 52 Sundays a year, it can be said that the superfruits have probably not yet arrived on every Sunday breakfast table.
#Superboom #superfood #triumph #avocado