Bad news for millennials: Avocados are under threat from the climate crisis - with the world's best...
It's the food of choice for hipster millennials in trendy cafes. But the price of avocado toast could soon skyrocket as the oily fruit is threatened by , according to a new report. The superfood favourite is known for its impact on the environment due to its need for lots of water during growth. But this makes it especially vulnerable to climate change . Researchers already think by up to 41 per cent by 2050 because land will be just too dry. The new report, 'Getting Smashed: The climate danger facing avocados', has been published today by the London-based charity Christian Aid. 'It's no surprise that avocados are popular throughout the world, from Brixton to Burundi,' said Mariana Paoli, global advocacy lead at Christian Aid. 'Avocados might be a superfood but their kryptonite is climate change. 'They are thirsty plants that are ill-suited to a hotter, drought-prone planet which is where were heading if rich nations dont act to cut their fossil fuel use and reduce emissions.' There's no doubt that avocados are highly nutritious and contain healthy fats, vitamins and minerals that are essential for human health. Many around the world rely on the high fibre, vitamin-rich fruit for essential nutrition including people in the UK, which is the seventh-largest importer of avocados. Avocados are also being researched for potential activity against diseases, . But if there are periods of extended heat, avocado trees will struggle to grow and set fruit, the new report warns. Also, some of the world's most productive avocado-growing regions will shrink simply because the land will get too dry. The new Christian Aid report cites a that found avocados as well as other popular crops like coffee and cashews will be hit by global warming. Depending on future temperatures, overall areas deemed highly suitable for growing avocados are expected to decline by 14-41 per cent globally by 2050, it found. For example, Michoacan, Mexicos key avocado growing region, faces a reduction in its potential growing area by 2050 of 59 per cent, even if global average temperatures are kept under 2C. Aside from their intense need for water, swathes of land in Mexico . Currently, Mexico dominates the avocado export market, with a 44.5 per cent market share, worth $3.25 billion, ahead of Peru, Spain, Chie and Colombia, according to the new report. Although the UK currently obtains most of its avocados from Peru and Chile, avo farmers in both these countries struggle with water shortages too. Richer importing countries may be affected by higher prices as availability of avocados goes down and demand rises, the report adds. It calls for more support for avocado farmers and faster emission cuts, which can largely be done by replacing 'dirty' fossil fuels with clean energy methods. The report describes avocados as 'something of a controversial fruit', not only because of their environmental impacts. Down under, the avocado is enormously popular smashed on toast and has been 'forced into in intergenerational culture wars', it claims. Back in 2017, Australian millionaire Tim Gurner caused controversy when he claimed millennials could get on the housing ladder if only they didnt spend their cash on avocado toast.