Agave Production Hit by Climate Change

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 Hello Readers!!!


    The episode of Latino USA I listened to this week was "Mezcal: From Farms to Bars". This episode is from August 24, 202l and they talked to (Juan Diego Ramirez& Areli Morales, Alberto Marquez, Adolfo Lopez,  ) about the production and sales of Mezcal. I learned that while it is great that that many other countries are interested in Mezcal they are part of the problem when it comes to sustainability of farming the agave plant. "Espadin agave is the most commonly used agave plant to produce Mezcal. Espadin only takes about 5 years to mature compared to... agave silvestre or wild agaves, which can take up to 20 years to mature. Espadin is just one of a handful of agaves that can be farmed, thus making it easier to make mezcal with...We are seeing to over harvesting of Silvestres is leading to scarcity and even possible extinction to some variations"( Morales10:44 -11:34). This theme intersected with the importance of the environment because these mezcal companies due the supply and demand are hurting the environment and are leading to the future extinction of agave plants. Agave plants are a source of work and provide income to families who farm and harvest the plants. With the possibility of extinction these families won't be able to provide a crucial income. 

             Agave being harvested 
https://www.npr.org/2021/07/19/1018085114/the-tequila-boom-and-agave-bust 

    I love that this topic showed the heavy mezcal and tequila culture that is in the state of Jalisco ( fun fact my mom's family is from the state of Jalisco) and how the agave plants is harvested and mezcal is a US export. I like how these mezcal producers keep it local and have family oriented productions. Something I didn't like is that the workers that and in the production of mezcal aren't event being paid enough to barely pay for a bottle. "The minimum wage in Oaxaca is only 141 pesos a day... today in 2021 a bottle of Mezcal costs more than 500 pesos" ( Morales 16:21-16:46).With such a heavy mezcal culture that they have and not being able to pay for a bottle is worker exploitation. Something that I think that they should also cover since this is about the state of Jalisco is Mariachi. Jalisco is where mariachi music originated. 

Another tequila company is having a hard time with production with the agave shortage.
    

    The climate crisis has been hurting agave production. Warmer summers and colder winters are impacting agave plants. The plants are sensitive to weather and depending on that means less sugar can be extracted from the plant. "Once the plant is ready to be harvested, the piña is crushed and squeezed for its sugar water. Less sugar in the plant means more agave must be planted in order to keep up with demand" (Perez 7). The climate crisis makes the growth and long history of the agave plant had been hurting because of the rising temperatures. Farmers now have to change the way they harvest and farm but the current climate crisis. https://www.fox43.com/article/weather/tequila-troubles-how-climate-change-affects-the-agave-plant/521-bfa93bc5-10ad-465e-896d-c02041fcf959 

Agave roasting over an open fire 

https://backbarproject.com/portfolio/casa-cortes/mezcal/#bbpi=/portfolio-assets/casa-cortes/ajax-lightbox-gallery/production/mezcal-roast.html 

The shortage of the agave plant is driving up tequila prices and now some are paying " $2 a kilo... but $0.10 back in 2010"(Bleu 1:16-1:25). Now smaller tequila and mezcal companies are having to pay extreme amounts because to the climate conditions. Agave has been harvested for many years and is a large part of Mexico's culture and with the agave scarcity because of climate change is threatening that. 

Work Cited

Bleu, Janell, director. YouTube, YouTube, 31 Jan. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL-ylva9sTM. 

Diego Ramirez, Juan. “Latino USA Mezcal: From Farms To Bars.” CapRadio, 24 Aug. 2021, www.capradio.org/news/latino-usa/. 

“Mezcal - Casa Cortes.” Back Bar Project, backbarproject.com/portfolio/casa-cortes/mezcal/#bbpi=/portfolio-assets/casa-cortes/ajax-lightbox-gallery/production/mezcal-roast.html. 

Perez, Greg. “Tequila Troubles? How Climate Change Affects the Agave Plant: Wandering Weatherman.” fox43.Com, 24 June 2021, www.fox43.com/article/weather/tequila-troubles-how-climate-change-affects-the-agave-plant/521-bfa93bc5-10ad-465e-896d-c02041fcf959. 

Smith, Stacey Vanek, and Jamila Huxtable. “The Tequila Boom and Agave Bust.” NPR, NPR, 22 July 2021, www.npr.org/2021/07/19/1018085114/the-tequila-boom-and-agave-bust. 



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