Mexico couldn’t ask for a better cash crop. Referred to as oro verde by farmers and orchard owners in Michoacan (and more recently Jalisco), their standard of living has improved considerably with a global rise in the popularity of avocados. The birth of ‘superfoods’, the, now ubiquitous, ‘avocado toast’ brunch staple, and the love of guacamole are responsible for the huge economic boon for not only Mexico, but also Kenya, which serves the European market. Demand for avocados is also partly due to Chipotle’s popularity. Practically doubling its number over the last decade, closing in on 3,800 restaurants, the chain continues to spread across North America and Europe.But this economic blessing comes at a cost. Cartels quickly moved in to control the Mexican avocado trade, relying on violence to keep people in line. Growers resort to illegal deforestation while overtaxing local water supplies to increase production. The government, meanwhile, faces the precarious situation of dealing with mafia violence without diminishing the huge economic gains reaped by this cash cow. Lovers of avocados, Michael and Kimberly weigh in on the ethical trade-off of the benefits to farmers and Mexico’s economy versus sustainability issues for human welfare and the environment.

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