Agave Price Crash Forces Mexican Farmers into Mezcal Production
A glut of raw maguey sends prices tumbling 83%, pushing producers in Morelos to bet on distilling the spirit themselves amid market uncertainty.
The fields of Morelos state, long a source of the maguey plant essential for mezcal, are now the scene of an economic crisis for hundreds of farmers. The price for the piña, the pineapple-shaped heart of the agave used to make the smoky spirit, has collapsed—falling from roughly six pesos to a mere one peso per unit, an 83% plunge that threatens the livelihoods of at least 500 producers in this region alone.
Facing a market saturated with raw agave and dwindling demand, farmers are being urged to make a risky but potentially rewarding pivot: stop selling the cheap plant hearts and start distilling their own mezcal.
