The desire to reduce the ecological footprint of British restaurants has recently created a real war between them and the World Organization of Avocado Growers.
The confrontation between the parties began when British chefs began looking for substitutes for the familiar guacamole avocado dip, due to the fact that the avocado is produced outside the UK and flown to the United Kingdom.
To this end, British restaurants have started offering various substitutes based on organic beans grown in the kingdom, offering mushroom-based spreads and generally stated that they no longer put avocados on the menu because of the large carbon footprint created with its flight to the UK.
The highlight was when the island's largest Mexican restaurant chain, "Wahaca" introduced a bean-based substitute for guacamole.
Growing avocados, Photo: Margolin / Ginny
In response, the head of the World Avocado Growers Association, Javier Aquia, issued a scathing statement, in which he accused British cooks of hypocrisy. "They continue to offer meat and other products whose harm to the environment is several times greater than that of growing avocados. It's comical to see British chefs using the environment trend specifically on avocados, while leaving on the menu several times more harmful products, that's really hypocritical. "That avocado needs more water than beans is no longer correct, we were able to grow an avocado with relatively little water and its growth already needs water like other products," Aquia explained.
On the other hand, the Mexican network claims that their move is not hypocritical at all and that they are in favor of the environment.
In response to Xavier's claims, the chain said that "the use of locally sourced ingredients from organic farmers in the UK for our new dish that replaces avocados, is part of our ambition to serve products that do not harm sustainability. It is part of our DNA to strive to reduce ingredients To the sea ".
But environmental considerations are not the only reason for British opposition to avocados.
The owner of the Wild Strawberry Cafe in Buckinghamshire, who brought in an avocado substitute last year, explained that "global demand for avocados is causing Mexican drug cartels to get into the business, so I do not want to consume it."
This position is shared by other sources in the United Kingdom who claim that "a study by the Mexican government itself has shown that heavy spraying harms Mexico's biodiversity and also harms farmers who grow the product. Also growing avocados leads to large deforestation."
In any case, it should be noted that despite criticism of the fruit 40 percent of which is grown in Mexico, avocado consumption in the West has increased exponentially in recent years due to its many health benefits.
So it seems that the British boycott is not really supposed to harm growers in Mexico.
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you find an error in the article, we will be happy for you to share with us and we will correct it