A person in the United States now eats an average of more than nine pounds of Mexican avocados a year, the university researchers found. That's up from just over a 1 pound in 1990.
A growing Hispanic and Caribbean population in the United States has helped fuel demand, the report found. Though "guac," a nickname for guacamole often used in the United States, has evolved as a beloved staple among Americans of many backgrounds, said Alvaro Luque, president of Avocados from Mexico, a marketing arm of Mexico's avocado industry.
Mexican avocados primarily grow in Michoacan state, the only place on earth where avocado trees bloom four times a year, instead of just once. The state has rich volcanic soil, healthy precipitation and the right elevation for growing, a trifecta of ideal avocado conditions.