Statewide, Iowa (RI) – If the Trump administration goes through with threatened tariffs on Mexican imports, Iowans may have to change up their Super Bowl snack plans if they want fresh guacamole.
University of Iowa professor Viridiana Hernández is an expert on the history of avocado production in Mexico. She says Americans ate very few avocados four decades ago, but there was a tremendous change with the trade deal called NAFTA.
Since the new millennium arrived, avocado consumption in Iowa and the U.S. has practically gone off the charts.
While the state of Michoacán (mee-cho-CON) has seen significant job opportunities with the drastic increase in demand for avocados, it’s also seen a steep rise in soil erosion, faster deforestation, and an increase in violent crime.
If the Trump administration enacts the tariffs before the Super Bowl on February 9th, Michoacán will need to make a crucial shift.
Higher tariffs on imported avocados will also mean higher prices for American consumers, especially during the big game.
Despite limited domestic production in California, she says Americans are among the top global consumers of avocados, as consumption tripled from 2001 to 2020. Also, Hernández says a full 20 percent of annual U.S. avocado sales come on Super Bowl weekend.
