In Mexico, and especially in Zapotlanejo, many farmers are abandoning the agave plant for the promise of higher prices in corn and beans. The agave plant makes tequila and it often takes 6 to 7 years to mature.

It's an economic balancing act.

In 2002, agave was at 80 cents a pound and everyone rushed to grow it. But now, the price of beans in Mexico has risen 60%--to 59 cents a pound-- since December and white corn is 18 cents a pound as opposed to agave at 2 cents.

The rush to get in on the corn market will eventually lead to a low supply of agave. Eventually, though, the lack of agave supply may drive its value up again, leading farmers back into growing it. In the meantime, distillers are stockpiling tequila, even filling out their products with other alcohol to stretch their supply.

Source: USA Today

Comments (2)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

what about the leaves?
written by Simcha Daniel Burstyn, August 26, 2008

I heard about this agave glut as it was happening. Now, I'm curious, is their some way to produce something from the huge biomass that the agave leaves are(waste from the tequila process, as can be seen from the denuded agave hearts in the donkey's basket in the picture)? Maybe biodiesel? There's a whole lot of cellulose there...

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Envirovore writer
written by Erika, August 26, 2008

It sounds like agave has several attributes that make it a great biofuel including high total sugar density and content, high weight of the fruit and stems, high density of plants per hectare, don't need much water, CO2 capture, methane metabolism, soil retention,and low maintenance during cultivation. I'm not sure if the six year growing period is an obstacle to biofuel viability or not.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment