Tequila Sunrise (© Grahamtomlin | Dreamstime.com)

Blue agave plants are what give tequila the unique flavor that has made it so popular, but the slow-growing plants are being abandoned by Mexican farmers who want to reap profits from the rising demand for corn and other crops that are fetching record prices around the globe.

An article in USA Today says, “The move is part of an international trend from Idaho potato farmers to Bolivian coca growers as they cut back on their trademark crops in hopes of making big money on corn and grain.”

The legendary Mexican spirit is made primarily in the area surrounding Tequila, a town 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara in the highlands of western Mexico. Fewer agave plants means greater demand for those that are grown and potentially higher prices for fans of Tequila Sunrises and Margaritas.

Why the big jump in corn and grain prices? The USA Today report offers the following:

The rise in the price of food crops is attributable to several factors: people in developing countries like China and India are eating better, high oil prices are increasing the cost of fertilizer, and the United States and Europe are diverting corn and vegetable oils into alternative fuels like ethanol.

If you’d like to read the USA Today article cited above go to: Corn demand hurts tequila industry