Time To Switch To Organic Avocado For Environmental Sustainability

Avocado illustration. (Unsplash / Olga Zhushman)

JAKARTA - Who would have thought, behind the avocado campaign which is said to be good for body health, it actually has quite alarming environmental impacts.

Yes, avocado which is popular in various parts of the world, including in Europe, actually creates environmental problems for the country of origin of the avocado. This is because avocados are imported by European countries.

"It is generally known that the explosive increase in avocado consumption is causing water shortages in their home countries," said Dutch organic fruit and vegetable specialist Eosta, launching Euronews.

In Europe, France and Britain are the countries with the highest purchase rates. As for consumption per individual, Scandinavian countries are at the top.

Most of this fruit is imported to Europe by means of imports from countries such as Colombia, Kenya and Peru. And, these countries are also feeling the environmental impact of intensive avocado production.

Illustration. (Unsplash / Louis Hansel @ shotsoflouis)

Eosta argues that shifting away from more traditional planting methods could help reduce water consumption. They want more companies to be transparent about the environmental impact of the fruit and vegetables they sell.

"Food retailers sometimes seem afraid of transparency. I challenge supermarkets to show consumers that they are choosing the organic way for water, soil and climate," said Eosta CEO Volkert Engelsman.

After selling nearly 3.5 million kilograms of organic avocado last year, they claim to have saved 126 Olympic-sized swimming pools for drinking water and nearly 300 tonnes of CO2 emissions compared to traditional farmers.

Concern about avocado's impact on the planet has been a topic of debate ever since the fruit first became popular. What is the reason?

Illustration. (Unsplash / Bethany Randall)

Like some other popular food ingredients including bananas, avocados are often grown in monocultures. This means many of the same crops are grown in areas where there is not much biodiversity.

This can make them very susceptible to pests or disease and increase the amount of pesticides needed to protect crops.

When there is heavy rain, this chemical runoff has the potential to pollute the natural environment around the plants. They can also be harmful to the pollinators we rely on to produce fruit and vegetables.

Organic farmers refrain from using hazardous agricultural chemicals such as pesticides or fertilizers which can negatively impact the environment and emit CO2.

Eosta also said their soil also contains more organic carbon, allowing them to act like a sponge and hold water. The company claims this means they can save up to 40 percent more water compared to traditional growing methods.