Gone the Way of the Dough-Dough
Hard Times in Margaritaville?
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Reuters) - Up to 40 percent of the
firms making Mexico's fiery tequila may halt production because
of a chronic shortage of their main raw ingredient, the
cactus-like agave plant, a Mexican official said on Monday.
``We all know the reasons, there is no agave left,'' said
Alberto Cardenas, governor of the western state of Jalisco, the
heartland of Mexico's tequila industry.
The growth in world consumption of tequila ``is threatening
tequila production in the next few years,'' Cardenas told
Reuters. ``People are saying 30-40 percent of the firms may close
down.''
Agave, a blue cactus-like plant, has soared in value in
recent months as world tequila demand rocketed past supply.
Once a low-class spirit, Tequila has now become more
expensive in Mexico than mid-range whiskeys, and tequila makers
have hired extra guards to patrol their fields against thieves.
Supply is unlikely to recover quickly as the agave plant
needs up to 10 years to mature.
Ramon Gonzalez, head of the Tequila regulatory council,
which guards the trademark, estimated that in the past four
months, around a third of established tequila makers had stopped
production, reported Reforma newspaper.
Gonzalez could not be contacted to confirm the report. |
