Avocado
Where does it come from? How did it get here?
What are avocados?
Avocados are fruit that grow on trees. They are ready to eat when they are slightly soft. The skin is peeled back and the flesh of the fruit is eaten. They can be eaten by themselves, but they are best known for being used in guacamole, sandwiches, salads, omelets, and desserts.
History of the Avocado
Avocados have been utilized in Mexico for about 10,000 years. The fruit is native to the area stretching from the eastern and central highlands of Mexico through Guatemala to the Pacific coast of Central America, and the Spanish conquistadors were the first Europeans to discover the fruit
Avocados in California
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
After NAFTA went into effect, the US government resisted Mexico selling avocados to California because they said it would introduce fruit flies that would destroy California's crops. The Mexican government then proposed to sell avocados to northeastern US in the winter (when the fruit flies couldn't sustain the cold), and the US government gave in when Mexico started erecting barriers to US corn.
Today, however, Mexican avocados are allowed throughout the US because the USDA inspected fruit in Uruapan.
Avocados in the US
Avocados are grown in California and Florida, California producing 90% of the United States' avocados. Mexico, however, leads international imports, with California coming in second.
Indirect Channel of distribution
Avocados typically go from the manufacturer (or the people who grow them) to the retail stores (grocery stores) and are then purchased by consumers.