Avocados, Water Crisis, and Petorca: The Price of a Superfood Craze
Rising global demand for avocados fuels an invisible drought in Chile's Petorca region, impacting local communities and sparking controversy.
As avocados have skyrocketed from a regional food to a global superfood sensation, the repercussions of this green fever reach far beyond Instagram feeds and trendy cafés. In Chile’s Petorca province, the world’s hunger for avocados is driving a dire water crisis, exposing systemic environmental and social issues that seldom make headlines but profoundly impact local communities.
Petorca: The Avocado Capital and Its Hidden Thirst
Petorca, in Chile’s Valparaíso region, has emerged as a major supplier of avocados for export, especially to European nations such as the United Kingdom. Once known for growing beans, corn, and potatoes, Petorca now finds itself covered in dense avocado plantations. But this transformation is not without cost.
- Avocado exports: In 2016 alone, Chile shipped over 17,000 tons of avocados to the UK, with Petorca supplying the majority.
- Natural dryness: Petorca is a semi-arid region, receiving meager rainfall and depending almost exclusively on groundwater for agriculture and human needs.
- Historic shift: Since the late 1990s, investment flowed into Petorca for avocado farming, driven by rising global demand and cheap land prices.
The Water Footprint of Avocado
The scale of water usage for avocado cultivation is staggering, particularly in a naturally dry region like Petorca.
- Each avocado requires up to 320 liters of water to produce in Petorca — dramatically higher than more water-abundant areas.
- Comparison table:
| Crop | Water needed per kilo |
|---|---|
| Avocado | 2,000 liters |
| Oranges | 500 liters |
| Tomatoes | 200 liters |
This water intensity is compounded by the fact that climate change, drought, and over-extraction have drastically reduced natural flows, affecting both the environment and local livelihoods.
Illegal Extraction and Environmental Consequences
To meet export targets, many large scale avocado growers have resorted to controversial — and at times illegal — practices:
- Groundwater diversion: Many plantations have allegedly installed unauthorized pipes and wells, tapping directly into underground water sources or rivers, sometimes to the point of drying up entire waterways.
- Enforcement gaps: In 2011, Chile’s water authority, using satellite imagery, discovered at least 65 illegal water channels in Petorca. Activists claim the issue has only worsened since, as oversight and regulation remain insufficient.
These practices exacerbate already scarce water supplies, leaving local communities with little to meet basic needs.
Impact on Local People: Scarcity and Health Risks
For Petorca’s residents, the growing prosperity of the avocado industry contrasts painfully with their own struggles:
- Villagers receive just 50 liters of water per day via truck, a fraction of what an average person in developed countries uses daily.
- The water delivered is often contaminated, with testing in 2014 revealing high levels of coliform bacteria (indicative of fecal pollution).
- The health implications are severe: villagers report being forced to boil water for drinking, restrict personal hygiene and cleaning, and often resort to buying bottled water with limited resources.
- Human migration: Over 2,000 small farmers have abandoned their land and moved away since 2007, unable to compete with large plantations or survive with diminishing water supplies.
What others are reading
“Here there are more avocados than people, but only people are lacking water, never the avocados.”
– Veronica Vilches, local activist
The Human Right to Water: Local and Global Tensions
The situation in Petorca has drawn international attention and condemnation, with many labeling it a clear violation of the universal right to water. According to Maude Barlow, former UN Special Rapporteur:
“We must take care of water, stop exploitation and uncontrolled withdrawal, stop polluting it, and guarantee the right to access clean water for everyone…”
- Petorca’s crisis illustrates how local rights and global markets come into conflict: while export profits rise, local people pay the price through everyday hardship.
- Efforts to protest or reform the system — including public demonstrations — have often been suppressed, with even peaceful rallies meeting forceful responses from authorities.
Distribution Inequality and Ecological Fallout
Beyond human suffering, the environmental impacts are substantial:
- Rivers run dry: Local rivers that once supported wildlife and community agriculture are now depleted, damaging surrounding ecosystems.
- Biodiversity loss: The monoculture of avocados also contributes to habitat loss and increased dependence on agrochemicals.
- Private water rights: Chile’s laws, dating from the Pinochet era, privatize water as a commodity. This legal structure complicates community and state efforts to reallocate water for domestic or ecological use.
Corporate Responsibility and Investigations
The exposure of these issues has placed considerable pressure on international retailers:
- The British Retail Consortium, representing UK grocery chains such as Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl, has initiated investigations into the sourcing and impacts of Chilean avocados.
- Supermarkets have been urged to ensure supply chains are environmentally and socially responsible, yet transparency remains a challenge.
The Broader Picture: Avocado Farming Elsewhere
Chile’s experience is far from unique. Other avocado-producing countries also face controversy:
- In Mexico, avocado expansion has led to illegal deforestation of protected pine forests.
- Research shows that avocados have a carbon footprint twice that of bananas and three times that of coffee.
- Thus, the global avocado trade has far-reaching impacts on both people and the planet.
Searching for Solutions: Desalination and Innovation
Some local leaders in Petorca have taken steps to address the crisis, even as national policies lag:
- The mayor of La Ligua is fundraising for a desalination plant that could provide independent water sources for residents, reducing dependence on contaminated supplies.
- Protest movements persist, keeping the pressure on authorities and corporations to respond.
Yet, these measures are palliative rather than transformative — the root causes relate to global consumption patterns and policies governing land and water rights.
What Can Consumers Do?
While individual choices may seem insignificant, ethical consumption and advocacy play some role in shaping industry practices and policies.
- Select avocados (and other produce) certified for sustainable water and labor practices where possible.
- Support transparency in supply chains by putting pressure on supermarkets for better sourcing practices.
- Educate others about the unseen costs of popular foods, encouraging a more balanced approach to “superfood” trends.
Avocado Water Footprint: At a Glance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Average water per fruit (Chile) | 320 liters |
| Annual exports to UK (2016) | 17,000+ tons |
| Fraction of local population’s allowance | Villagers: 50 liters/day |
| Number of small farms lost (since 2007) | 2,000+ |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why does avocado farming require so much water?
A: Avocados need a significant and steady supply of water for optimal growth, especially during fruit development. In dry climates like Petorca, this requirement is intensified as natural rainfall is insufficient, forcing farmers to rely heavily on groundwater or river diversion.
Q: Is avocado farming illegal in Chile?
A: Farming avocados is not illegal, but many plantations are accused of illegally diverting or extracting water, violating both environmental regulations and the basic rights of local communities.
Q: Do all avocados come from regions with water issues?
A: No. While Chile’s Petorca region is a high-profile example, not all avocado-producing areas face the same degree of water scarcity. However, avocado is a water-intensive crop anywhere, so consumers should seek out certified sustainably-grown avocados when possible.
Q: What are supermarkets and retailers doing about this problem?
A: Some major international retailers are investigating their supply chains and working towards more responsible sourcing, following media reports and pressure from advocacy groups. Progress and transparency vary by company.
Q: What alternatives exist for communities running out of water?
A: Solutions include water rationing, importing water by tanker, developing desalination infrastructure, and implementing stricter water regulations. However, long-term solutions require rethinking agricultural priorities and water governance.
Conclusion: Rethinking the Price of a Superfood
The global appetite for avocados has tangible consequences in vulnerable regions like Petorca. As awareness grows, the challenge is to align consumption, production, and ethical responsibility, ensuring that the pursuit of health and culinary delight does not come at the expense of others’ basic rights and natural resources.
References
- https://www.vice.com/en/article/your-bottomless-hunger-for-avocados-is-causing-droughts-in-chile/
- https://www.lifegate.com/avocado-chile-water
- https://ejatlas.org/print/the-avocado-agribusiness-and-water-drought-in-petorca-chile
- https://www.circleofblue.org/2018/daily-stream/the-stream-may-18-avocado-production-is-drying-up-chiles-petorca-region-villagers-claim/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch5ZkfR0hkQ
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