Agave is a genus of succulent plants native to the arid and semi-arid regions of the Americas, with the greatest diversity found in Mexico. There are over 200 species, several of which have been cultivated for food and drink for thousands of years by Indigenous peoples of the region.
The plant is best known as the source of tequila and mezcal — spirits made by roasting and fermenting the starchy heart (piña) of specific agave species. Beyond spirits, the sap (known as aguamiel) can be boiled down into a sweet syrup marketed as agave nectar, or fermented into pulque, a mildly alcoholic traditional drink. The roasted heart itself has been eaten as food since pre-Columbian times.
Agave syrup has gained popularity in Australia and globally as an alternative sweetener. Most commercial agave products come from Mexico, where the plant holds deep cultural and economic significance. Blue agave (Agave tequilana) is the most commercially important species.
How it's produced
Agave farming is a long-term undertaking. Most commercially important species take 6–10 years to mature before harvest, with some varieties taking even longer. The plants are propagated from offsets (small clones that grow at the base of mature plants) and planted in rows in well-drained, often volcanic soils.
Harvesting is destructive — the entire plant is used. Skilled workers called jimadores use a specialised tool (a coa) to strip away the tough outer leaves and extract the heavy piña, which can weigh 30–90 kilograms. For spirits production, the piña is roasted, crushed, fermented, and distilled. For syrup, the sap is extracted from the core, filtered, and heated at low temperatures to break down its complex sugars into a sweeter liquid. Wild agave is also harvested for some artisanal mezcal production, raising sustainability concerns for certain species.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated from its category — typical for vegetables, not measured for this item yet. Sources & methods →
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