Chilean Avocado Drought Summary

Water Crisis in Petorca, Chile

• British avocado demand (up 27%) linked to water depletion in Petorca.
• Illegal water diversion by avocado plantations causes drought for local villagers.

Impact on Residents

• Residents rely on trucked water, often contaminated.
• Activist Veronica Vilches highlights health issues and lack of water for basic needs.

Illegal Water Use

• 2011 investigation revealed 65+ illegal underground channels supplying plantations.
• Some agribusinesses convicted of unauthorized water use.

Supermarket Response

• British Retail Consortium aware of allegations, investigating supplier practices.
• Lidl investigating potential sourcing from Petorca.

Water Usage

• 2,000 liters of water needed to produce 1 kilo of avocados.
• Petorca requires 100,000 liters of water per hectare daily, equivalent to 1,000 people's daily use.

Social and Environmental Impact

• Water scarcity forces residents to leave, damaging social fabric.
• Smaller farmers can't compete; young people migrate for work.

Water Quality Issues

• Study found high levels of coliform bacteria in trucked water.

Intimidation and Support

• Activists face death threats and intimidation.
• Companies offer aid to gain support and silence complaints.