It is undeniable that for some years now, Spain has been experiencing a boom in avocado consumption. At Campos del Abuelo, we have witnessed this process firsthand, as some fellow farmers have started planting avocados much more intensively.
The truth is that, in particular, we love avocados. Especially when they are produced in a traditional and sustainable way. That is, when they are grown just as our ancestors did. The issue is that, although in our case we cultivate using environmentally friendly techniques, something more always seems to be missing to be 100% friendly to our planet.
One of the problems associated with avocados is the water footprint. And we will talk about that directly from the field. Today, we were lucky to find Eduardo, farmer and founder of Campos del Abuelo, and Salvador, a Valencian farmer, in the same place.
Here you can see them with their favorite crops in hand:
So we will have not just one, but two voices to delve into the avocado's water consumption. But for us to understand each other well, let's start with the basics...
What is the water footprint?
The water footprint is an environmental indicator that measures the volume of water used throughout the production of a consumer good or service. By this, we mean that from the pants you are wearing, the milk you drink for breakfast, and, of course, the avocados you eat, all have a water footprint.
Water is used to produce everything in the world. In our case, it is vital for agriculture. Without water, our trees and plants could not receive the nutrients they need to bear fruit. That is why we take irrigation responsibly and use drip irrigation.
Furthermore, as Eduardo explains next to one of his new avocado trees: the supply to our fields comes from the Júcar river. This municipality has been one of the five concessionaires of Júcar water since approximately 1510, thanks to a privilege granted by Philip II to this town.
Through the black pipes seen in this image, the drip irrigation Eduardo mentions is carried out:
The irrigation privilege is quite old, isn't it? In addition, rainwater is also taken into account, as Eduardo explains: we irrigate with water from the Júcar and, of course, if it rains, we close the tap to save water. When it doesn't rain, then we irrigate. This is in winter. In summer, even if it rains, we still irrigate, as the water supply is never enough. Of course, by cultivating organically, we prevent chemicals from filtering into the water and improve the environment.
How much water do avocados consume?
We must consider that avocado is native to tropical areas, so the avocado tree needs certain care and, above all, it needs water and humidity. According to Eduardo: in times that are not as dry as this year, it rains enough, so the rain the avocado receives in winter is enough to irrigate it.
Eduardo, in addition to being a farmer, is a citrus grower, so he makes a comparison with orange trees: in summer, it is irrigated approximately the same as an orange tree, there is no difference. The only possible difference is that during the orange tree's dormant period, irrigation is not necessary if there is a normal rain cycle, while the avocado may always need some irrigation, but not much more.
Everything depends on the climate, whether it is more or less humid, whether it rains more or less. We use a drip irrigation system. This system does not change because it is always the best way to ensure the plant has the moisture it needs.
For his part, Salvador, who has planted avocado fields, tells us about irrigation by making another comparison: compared to a citrus fruit, like a persimmon, and an avocado, water consumption is similar. The avocado might consume a little more, but if we're talking about a little more, it's around 15% or 20% more.
Salvador, for his part, brings up an important point, which is the nutritional potential of avocado: you also have to consider that they don't have the same nutritional potential: an avocado, a kilo of avocado, for example, versus a kilo of oranges, doesn't have the same calories, far from it, nor the same properties.
Avocado is much more nutritious, has more fat and a much higher caloric content. So, if you compare water consumption versus nutritional potential, I'm sure avocado might even come out ahead in this aspect.
Eduardo and Salvador each take their time and space to answer, but it is clear that both are eager to continue talking about this topic. For those of us who love the countryside, it is a privilege to listen to them as they share their wisdom.
Salvador continues, and tells us about how what he calls "the irrigation pattern" changes depending on the roots of each tree. The avocado needs the surface layer to be almost always moist, while citrus has deeper roots and can have more spaced out irrigations, meaning longer but less frequent irrigations. On the other hand, the avocado needs shorter but more frequent irrigations.
Just as Eduardo told us that in summer it should be irrigated more frequently, Salvador adds the following:
Then, in summer, it is true that as it is a tropical plant, it faces a greater challenge than citrus and persimmon, which are subtropical, because avocado is tropical. What it needs is a more constant level of humidity and temperature. In very high temperatures and with very low humidity, the plant gets very stressed and loses productive potential.
At those times, you have to prevent the root ball from drying out during midday. Many people divide irrigations to always keep the humidity high in the superficial part of the soil, not in the deep parts.
At Campos del Abuelo, when cultivating organically, we always have to be attentive to the nutrients and minerals that the tree or plant needs. And, as Salvador explains, this is important so as not to waste water.
Leaving a lot of zinc and adding organic matter is essential for the water footprint, as it greatly reduces water consumption. And leaving a mulch, a layer of weeds, helps reduce evaporation. If it is very high, it can be detrimental because it consumes water. But if it is low, the vegetative cover is better because the sun does not directly impact the soil and less evaporation occurs.
About weeds (which are not so bad after all), Eduardo also adds information about them but from another perspective. Salvador's avocado trees are several years old, while those in Eduardo's field are only a few months old. And the care of avocado plants is a delicate matter. So, Eduardo tells us how he manages them given his situation with still-baby avocado trees:
What we do is remove weeds with brush cutters. We clear the weeds so that they do not excessively invade the avocado area and compete with it.
This maintains soil moisture, but it is also true that these plants consume water and can compete with the tree due to lack of moisture. In the first few years, especially, since the tree is small, there is more solar radiation on the ground, so it is necessary to control weeds and prevent them from growing excessively.
Eduardo and Salvador look at each other, satisfied. They have explained from their perspective how water is managed in avocado cultivation in their fields. But before finishing, Salvador once again highlights the importance of taking into account the nutritional potential of avocado:
What should be compared is the nutritional level of avocado compared to other crops. I am sure that avocado would be a crop that consumes water normally or below other plants.
Ultimately, a kilo of avocados has many calories and fats, while an orange primarily has sugars and vitamins. They are not comparable at all. It is true that more kilos of oranges are produced, okay. But you can eat two half-kilo oranges a day. You don't eat a kilo of avocado in a day.
For my part, I have no intention of trying to eat a kilo of avocados in one day; I don't think it would sit very well with me. I don't think you intend to try to eat a kilo in one sitting, but if you want to try the best avocados, you can buy those from Campos del Abuelo. They are cultivated using traditional techniques and harvested at their ideal fat content.
Well, to expand a little more on the information about the avocado's water footprint, we collected some data about the cultivation of this tropical fruit in our country.
Avocado cultivation in Spain and the water footprint
These data on avocado cultivation in Spanish lands were released in 2022 at the Spanish Congress:
- In Spain, avocado is the main tropical crop
- Spain is the leading avocado producer in the European Union, with 77% of the total production, and also the leading avocado exporter in this region, being the main supplier of European avocados.
- Its cultivation is mainly concentrated in the province of Andalusia, with 75%. Over 50% of the production is concentrated in Malaga, followed by Granada, Cadiz, and Huelva.
- The rest of Spain's avocado acreage is in the Canary Islands archipelago with 12.7%, and then in our community, Valencia, with the remaining 12%.
It is important not to lose sight of this, because according to Salvador, the controversy about the avocado's water footprint is related to these four points we mentioned. Salvador states the following:
The controversy generated by the issue of avocado water consumption has arisen because in the main cultivation area, which is Andalusia, in the eastern part, including all of Malaga, Granada, and so on, it was all dry olive groves before.
So, farmers there have speculated and converted dryland farms, which were not worth much, into avocado plantations, which are now fashionable and worth a lot of money. So, what happens? It's not sustainable, meaning, there is not enough water there for irrigated cultivation.
Here Salvador introduces two terms that are common for those of us who work in the field, but are not so well-known generally. He talks about "dryland farms" on the one hand and "irrigated cultivation" on the other.
Dryland cultivation is that of semi-arid areas, where the roots should not be flooded during irrigation. Meanwhile, "irrigated cultivation" is one in which water resources are used through different irrigation methods to meet the water needs of crops.
What Salvador explains is that when irrigated cultivation is carried out in places where it is not natural, it becomes unsustainable cultivation.
How can you help?
At Campos del Abuelo, we are a network of farmers who cultivate in a traditional way, respecting nature's cycles. Supporting our venture is contributing to a better planet, not only to care for the environment, but also for your health.
The organoleptic qualities and nutrients of products that have been organically grown are better preserved than those grown in greenhouses or stored in refrigerators.
The world, to a certain extent, has shrunk due to globalization, so you can buy almost any fruit and vegetable anywhere and at any time, but this is, shall we say, anti-ecological.
First, imagine that these products are grown inside greenhouses that consume large amounts of energy, then they are harvested green and kept in warehouses that also generate large energy expenditures, only to be sent to a supermarket later.
Transportation and distribution also generate a lot of fuel consumption and emit vast amounts of CO2. At Campos del Abuelo, we know this. That's why, in our case, the number of kilometers that fruits and vegetables travel is less, as they go directly from the field to your home.
When you buy seasonal products that have been cultivated following nature's cycles, grown respectfully, geographically close to you, and without chemicals, well... your consumption benefits the planet.
Consuming locally supports farming families like ours. In addition, you help to maintain biodiversity in our fields, outside of the monoculture proposed by large corporations.
The water footprint is not only the responsibility of us farmers; it is also the consumer's responsibility. Together, we can make this a better planet.
Remember to visit our website to find seasonal products. You can customize your box with fruits and vegetables in our online store.
