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Thesis
Beyond the guacamole: a history of how drug organizations became involved in the avocado industry
University of West Florida,
Master of Arts (MA), University of West Florida
2021
Abstract
The avocado has picked up several nicknames, but its most recent is "Green Gold." The avocado has blossomed into a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry, with 77 percent of the world's avocados imported into the United States. From avocado toast to Superbowl guacamole, Americans hunger for the fruit labeled a superfood. After President Bill Clinton signed NAFTA, the border was open to avocados from Mexico. The Mexican state of Michoacán was the only state permitted to ship to the United States because they met all the required sanitary conditions. The booming avocado business increased the Michoacán farmer's profit from two and a half pesos per kilo to eighty pesos. Not surprisingly, the increased revenue attracted a growing workforce. It also drew the attention of local drug cartels. But why would a successful drug cartel need to encroach into other markets? The short answer is that cartel involvement in the avocado industry is an unintended consequence of the fight against drugs. The avocado has become a cash crop for both legal and illegal markets.
Details
- Title
- Beyond the guacamole
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Publisher
- University of West Florida,; Pensacola, Florida :
- Format
- text;electronic resource;remote;computer;online resource
- Number of pages
- 1 online resource (v, 84 leaves : illustrations)
- Copyright
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
- Identifiers
- 99380090730406600
- Academic Unit
- History and Philosophy
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Master of Arts (MA)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), University of West Florida