Avocado

Avocado is one of the main crops which do not fit the 'grown on the other side of the world' themePersea americana, the avocado, is believed to have originated in the state of Puebla, Mexico,[5] that dates to around 10,000 BC. The native home is abundant in the wild state on the lower slopes of the volcano Orizaba, in southern Mexico. Check role of volcanoes in plant evolution

The avocado tree also has a long history of cultivation in Central and South America, likely beginning as early as 5,000 BC.[5

Sign of Avocado used by Aztecs

The first written record in English of the use of the word 'avocado' was by Hans Sloane in a 1696 index of Jamaican plants, choosing the name 'Avocado' rather than 'Alligator Pear' (More of this early movement around South America and then the Caribbean)

The plant was introduced to Indonesia in 1750, Brazil in 1809, South Africa and Australia in the late 1800s, and the Levant in 1908.

Hughes, in his important work "The American Physician" published in 1672, devotes a short chapter to "The Spanish Pear." His reference to its having been planted in Jamaica by the Spaniards is in agreement with other accounts, all of which indicate that the avocado was not cultivated in the West Indies previous to the DiscoveryThe correct name of this fruit in English is at present recognized to be avocado. This is undoubtedly a corruption of the Spanish ahuacate or aguacate, which in turn is an adaptation of the Aztec ahuacatl. The Spaniards, who probably introduced the avocado into Jamaica, brought with it the Mexican name. When Jamaica was taken by the British this name began to undergo a process of corruption, during which such forms as albecata, avigato, and avocato were developed. Frequently the term "pear" was added to these, in conformity with the tendency of the early English colonists to apply familiar names to the fruits which they found in America. We have many other evidences of this tendency, e.g.,star-apple, custard-apple, hog-plum, Spanish-plum.Dont forget Vavilov re seeds and language

Mexico is still the main producer of avocado in the world. The main producers are also California, Chile, Australia..Growing the fruit takes a lot of water and fertiliser..more

After the North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA) went into effect in 1994, Mexico tried exporting avocados to the US. The US government resisted, claiming the trade would introduce Tephritidae fruit flies that would destroy California's crops. The Mexican government responded by invitingUSDA inspectors to Mexico, but the US government declined, claiming fruit fly inspection was not feasible. The Mexican government then proposed to sell avocados only to the northeastern US in the winter (fruit flies cannot withstand extreme cold). The US government balked, but gave in when the Mexican government started erecting barriers to US corn.

Today, avocados from Mexico are allowed throughout the US, because USDA inspectors in Michoacán(where 90% of 'Hass' avocados from Mexico are grown) inspected fruit inUruapan.[clarification needed][citation needed] Imports from Mexico in the 2005–2006 season exceeded 130,000metric tons (143,300 short tons; 127,900 long tons).[42][43]In 2009, Peru joined Chile and Mexico as an exporter of avocados to the US.[44]

Avocados are produced in (sub) tropical regions around the world. Mexico is the largest producer with almost 1.5 million tonnes in 2013. The Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru and Indonesia all produce between 0.2 and 0.4 million tonnes of avocados. The European production is much lower with around 70 thousand tonnes in Spain and 18 thousand tonnes in Portugal in 2013. Mexican production is mainly oriented towards the US market, because of the small distance, whereas Peru is a major supplier of the European market. World production of avocados has increased by almost 20% from 2009 to 2013.Rapidly expanding producing-countries for avocados are Colombia, Peru and the Dominican Republic, Australia. Avocados are classified into four main types: Guatemalan, Mexican, West Indian, and Hybrids. Hass (Guatemalan race with pebbled black skin) is the main planted variety today. Other commercial varieties include the green varieties Fuerte (hybrid), Ettinger (hybrid), Pinkerton (hybrid) and Reed (Guatemalan). There are new hass varieties available, such as Lavi Hass, Lamb Hass and Gem Hass.

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