The question is whether subtropical fruit on the Costa Tropical has a future. Economically, yes it has, but Environmentally, no, perhaps.

When everything else went down the drain in 2008, avocado farming was booming; your pre-crisis, purchased house might have negative equity back then, but your avocado plantations certainly didn’t.

The fact is that we have enough sunshine for the average avocado tree to be a happy bunny but providing its watering needs is another matter. This tree came from Mexico and Central America and flourish in a humid climate, providing plenty of sunshine and rain, but that’s not the case here.

You see, an avocado tree needs 350.5 litres of water to produce an avocado weighing 350 grammes. At present on the Costa Tropical and Axarquía, with a bit of luck, we get between 4,000 and 6,000 cubic metres of rain a year, so we’re talking about a water deficit… and that before getting into droughts and climate change.

This brings us to the continual growth of irrigated land for subtropical fruit, both legal and illegal. Ecologistas en Acción calculate that between 30% and 40% of existing crops are illegal and depend on illegal wells. Axarquia had 13,000 hectares in 2017 but it is now nearer 15,000 hectares, according to the Junta de Andalucía. That’s right, more and more land was turned into irrigated crop use despite the ongoing drought at the time.

Exports thrive, as France, the Netherlands and Germany can’t get enough of them (the UK scuppered itself with Brexit so importing just isn’t fun anymore). So demand pushes this cropland expansion.

You might as well compare avocado plantations with golf greens; both are very profitable and require plenty of sunshine but neither is really suited to the water resources available.

(Editorial: Avocado Farming)

Tags: Costa Tropical, Axarquia, Avocado Plantations, Irrigation, Illegal Wells, Market Growth, Water Deficit

Reader’s comment: “It’s v evident re all the plastic water pipes which litter the countryside are needed for avocados. More drought resistant trees such as olive and almond would be better for the environment but alas not as lucrative at least initially . Alas full environment costs are rarely factored into the cost of the final product” – Fred Davies

Reader’s comment: “Hence “Agua – cate”, the clue is in the name as with many things (Montefrio springs to mind).” – George