A Commodity Chain Assignment:
The Economic Geographical Processes of The Organic Avocado
Introduction
The Michoacan state in Mexico has become the world’s largest producer of avocadoes. Although this vegetable is grown on farms throughout this state, it is also tied to an integral network of trade and export to countries across the globe. In this essay, I will argue that like any commodity chain study, the production of the organic Hass avocado has an intricate production process, which for my commodity chain study begins in Uruapan, Mexico a town in the state of Michoacan. This analysis has indicated the crucial underlying links to trade, labour, and demand that the export of this vegetable has created throughout North America and the rest of the world. I hope to establish these links in an attempt to ‘defetishize’ this commodity and bring about the broader and conflicting issues that have resulted between Mexico and nearby countries such as the United States and Canada. I will begin this research by briefly reviewing the actual process and networks that the organic Hass avocado forms from the farms in Uruapan and the path it takes to the grocery stores in Vancouver, Canada. Then look to the implications of NAFTA and other related issues that have affected the trading process of avocadoes and has created severe divisions between the USA and Mexico. I will establish the importance of the organic produce industry and its exports to further developed countries with increasing demand for these organic products. And conclude that the future of the organic produce industry may be struck with ongoing divisions, as it becomes more globalized, between larger organic agricultural firms and smaller organic farmers who rely heavil...
... middle of paper ...
...48.234/upi-breaking/20050214-012514-9192r.htm United Press International: Feb. 14, 2005.
“Growers,” New Harvest Organics, http://www.newharvestorganics.com/nwh_grower_page.htm Rio Rico, Arizona: September 2000 Grower page.
Interview with produce specialist at Stong’s Grocery and Market. Conducted on November 21st, 2005.
Ocampo, Sally Anne, Interview with Supplier for: Pro Organics Distributors. Conducted on November 22nd, 2005.
Paleo, Salvador Aguirre, “Technology Transfer Experiences with Avocado Growers in Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico,” World Avocado Congress, Abstracts A-49.
Rendón, Dr. Oscar Hugo Pedraza. “Quality of the Avocado Exporting Companies to the United States of America,” World Avocado Congress. Abstracts A-48 V. 2003.
RNRA Team, “Supermarkets, Fresh Produce and New Commodity Chains: What Future for the Small Producer?” Hot Topics: February, 2004.
The pathos in this commercial is the long-standing myth that avocados are an unhealthy edible product. The pathos led to the state of paranoia and doubtful emotions. The system in which the commercial portrayed the pathos is through well-known different myths, superstitions, government cover-ups, and tall tales. All of this is building anticipation for the reveal of the product or service that is unknown at this point to the viewer.
Tomatoland is a book written by Barry Estabrook, an investigative food journalist. Throughout the pages of Tomatoland, Estabrook explores the path of tomatoes, from the seed in South America to the hands of migrant workers in the fields of Florida. Through his exploration he discovers several issues that exist within the fresh tomato industry in Florida. Two of the major issues that he discovers include the use of highly toxic chemicals that cause severe damage to the health of humans and the environment, and the exploitation of migrant workers. Estabrook directly blames the continuation of such issues on those who support the tomato industry, “it’s a world we’ve all made, and one we can fix”; this includes consumers, crew bosses, the government and the corporate farm owners, like the executives and those who work in the business side of farming. Although there are many who are at fault, Estabrook directs his blame more towards the government and the farms corporate owners. Estabrook’s assessment of blame is substantial because the government and owners of the tomato corporations are the ones who have the strongest power towards regulations and production.
The Brazilian acai berry has been a food staple for low income families for years and a cultural symbol for generations. This berry is vital in Brazil, where it is farmed and, until recently had a relatively small market. However, after an Oprah interview the demand for acai has become an international affair. The rising demand has created a free market; however the once inexpensive food staple has become too expensive for the low income families. This report will analyse the current markets advantages and disadvantages, followed by two possible government intervention models. The examined interventions will be export tariff and price ceiling.
As Americans become more health conscious, their consumption of fruits and vegetables is increased at astronomical levels. Since migrant farm workers are responsible for picking the majority of these products, the eating habits of Americans perpetuate the very farm labor market conditions that many people would like to put an end to. Therefore, whether knowingly or not, Americans are exploiting these Migrant workers who are paid less then minimum wage, have no power to bargain with their employers, and have inadequate and unacceptable living accommodations. In New England, the harvest of blueberries and apples are crucial to the economy, and are in abundant supply. Those who pick these fruits travel across the country, and often across international boarders to fill agricultural jobs that U.S. citizens are not willing to take. Both blueberries and apples are extremely difficult crops to harvest, and require extensive manual labor. Migrant workers are willing to fill these physically exhausting positions because of economic hardships, and the lack of jobs in their own countries.
Among the multitude of American corporations, few stand out like the United Fruit Company. Reviled the world over, United Fruit was one of America’s most notable early multinational corporations. Operating all over Latin America and peddling their produce across the globe, United Fruit would get its start in Costa Rica, a small Central American country nestled between Nicaragua and Panama. The decision to attempt to modernize Costa Rica by General Tomás Guardia would prove to be a fateful one that forever altered the course of Central America.
Carrillo-Huerta, M., & Bonilla, I. M. (2005). The effect of NAFTA on mexican agricultural exports to the united states: The case of coffee beans, 1970-2003. The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance & Business Ventures, 10(2), 76-93. Retrieved from http://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/55949/1/662664000.pdf
The main products that drive the economy of Latin American in the nineteenth century require products and resources that are easily available to the countries of the area. For Argentina, the country focuses on exporting temperate agricultural products (Furtado 131). The workers needed in the fields, and vast amount of land to grow crops is plentiful. The land is already available, but to become more equipped to excel in agriculture, the country needs an influx of able- bodied workers.
More and more farm-to-table restaurants, farmer’s markets, and food co-ops are cropping up to meet the demand among consumers for healthy, local foods, as more chefs and consumers recognize the poorer taste and nutritional integrity of ingredients shipped in from far away. Fruits and vegetables that have to be shipped long distances are often picked before they have a chance to fully ripen and absorb nutrients from their surroundings. Because local food doesn’t have to travel long distances, it is grown in order to taste better and be healthier rather than to be resilient to long travel. The farm-to-table movement also helps local economies by supporting small farmers, which is a dying
In my previous paper I did my research on the history, production, and trade of cane sugar that was mostly produced in the United States. On our study abroad trip to Mexico we saw some sugar cane fields from the road, but we did get to tour any of the farms or see any sugar processing factories. So I was thinking to myself how I am going to write a paper on sugar cane in Mexico if I never experienced any of it while I was down there. Fortunately I found a topic that was very close to home and related to some of the agriculture in Mexico as well. While visiting the Trade Management Services, Inc., we met with the Iowa trade representative, Jose Antonio Jimenez. Jose mentioned some things about the controversy with the United States and Mexico with the imported high fructose corn syrup into Mexico and the effects it has had on the sugar markets and the producers. Since Iowa is the number one grower of corn in the United States, and number one in producing high fructose corn syrup, it is a major issue for Iowans because of the great market share we have with Mexico. In this essay I will discuss some of the issues with the trade barriers, taxes, and tariffs the two countries have opposed on each other.
Economic events are largely governed by the interaction of supply and demand. The law of supply states that with ‘all else being equal’ (ceteris paribus), as market price of a good or service increases/decreases so will an increase/decrease in quantity supplied. In turn, the law of demand states as market price of a good or service increases/decreases ceteris paribus, the quantity demanded will increase/decrease accordingly. The Australian avocado industry is an indicative example of microeconomics - the study of individual consumer or business decision making and spending behaviour in relation to the allocation of a limited resource and the correlation of supply and demand in determining
Many people ask the question of what is organic food? This paper is going to go into many things that people might have questions about when it comes to organic food. What is organic food? Is there a difference between Organic and conventional food? Is growing organic easier on farms soil compared to conventional farming? What does it take to be organic food, who watches and regulates what is considered to be organic? Why does organic food cost so much more than conventional? Is it really worth the higher cost? Organic food, is it more beneficial than that of conventionally grown food. Why? What is the difference between CERTIFIED organic and organic foods that are not certified? We will go into all of these questions and more throughout this paper trying to find the answers
Our current system of corporate-dominated, industrial-style farming might not resemble the old-fashioned farms of yore, but the modern method of raising food has been a surprisingly long time in the making. That's one of the astonishing revelations found in Christopher D. Cook's "Diet for a Dead Planet: Big Business and the Coming Food Crisis" (2004, 2006, The New Press), which explores in great detail the often unappealing, yet largely unseen, underbelly of today's food production and processing machine. While some of the material will be familiar to those who've read Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" or Eric Schlosser's "Fast-Food Nation," Cook's work provides many new insights for anyone who's concerned about how and what we eat,
Challenges in Today's U.S. Supermarket Industry. 2014. Challenges in Today's U.S. Supermarket Industry. [ONLINE] Available at:http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa479076.aspx. [Accessed 31 March 2014].
...estroys small roots and can kill a plant. Avocados have had an important role to play in the history of man since men started leaving some sort of foraging trail. In the last 100 years the evolution of the tree as a crop plant has proven to reward us with a diverse selection of potential traits which will be exploited to their fullest potential, if we are all lucky.
In his illustration of this movement, all agriculture was generally organic until the 1920’s, and several farmers like Coleman have shared their perspectives on what we now consider “Organic Food” (Coleman). He also argues that to recognize what people eat and how that can influence on their health ought to be guaranteed. In addition, he divides his whole idea or organic farming. Basically when Coleman started farming, he believed that “organic” was a way of thinking rather than a “profit center” (Coleman). In other words, since organic food has become popular to the public, big companies in the food industry have taken over (Coleman). Moreover, he defined organic food as “locally grown and unprocessed, with exceptional quality” (Coleman). His standard of “Real Food” farming is the place where fresh fruits and vegetables along with a 50-mile radius of their final sale. Additionally, beans grains and potatoes are developed inside a 300-mile radius of the last sale. His standard is not a realistic goal which is to grow and produce food products naturally because it costs more money and requires nurturing by good farmers. It is unrealistic to have such farms everywhere throughout the spots nowadays; subsequently, individuals can purchase those ranches items on the grounds where those ranch’ agriculturists would take up more land. Consequently, more natural cultivating can make appropriately developed natural