NEWS

As modern people pay more and more attention to healthy eating, many foods that were inconspicuous in the past are now valued for their health benefits. With this healthy ride, avocado has become the most popular superfood in recent years. It has many benefits such as lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, protecting the heart, and eyesight. It is not only favored by Europe and the United States, but also hit Taiwan’s dining table. Avocado dishes are constantly being introduced. However, in Mexico, the world's largest avocado producing area, the fate of avocados is not peaceful.
 
The history of avocado in Mexico can be traced back to 10,000 years ago. At that time, the Aztecs already knew that avocado could increase physical strength and vitality. Nowadays, Mexico supplies more than 30% of the world’s avocados, creating 2.5 billion US dollars in business opportunities every year. This hugely profitable industry attracts the attention of local gangs. Drug lords covet these green gold and have repeatedly conflicted with the self-defense forces formed by farmers. Fighting for land, extortion, kidnapping, robbery and murder has made Mexican avocados tragic.
 
In contrast, the fate of Taiwan's native avocado is much luckier.

Avocados were introduced to Taiwan during the Japanese Occupation, but due to the limitation of cultivation techniques, they were not well known to Taiwanese for a long time and were not a popular fruit. At the end of the Japanese Occupation, there were more than 200 old avocado trees located in the Chiayi Agricultural Research Institute. It was cut down a lot, leaving only five plants. Fortunately, in recent years, the introduction of new varieties, breakthroughs in cultivation techniques, and the society's emphasis on health preservation have enabled avocados to win the spotlight comparable to their nutritional value. The main producing areas of avocado in Taiwan are Tainan, Chiayi, Taitung and Pingtung, while Nantou, Hualien and Kaohsiung are also cultivated sporadically, with very diverse varieties.
 
Among the avocados produced in Taiwan, common varieties include Jiaxuan No. 3, Hou'er, Haas, and Qiuke. Although each has a different taste and texture, it is also rich in nutrients and is more expensive than imported ones. Avocados are cheap. Whether it is eaten fresh, dipped in honey, or made into avocado salad, it can show the wonderful taste and promote good health.
 
When you put delicious avocados in your shopping basket for health and health care, don't forget to focus on the other side of the earth, those who are desperate for avocados.