Mezcal Boom Fuels Environmental Destruction in Mexico

Surging global demand for the agave-based spirit is driving deforestation and water scarcity in Oaxaca

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:37pm

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The growing popularity of mezcal, a traditional Mexican spirit, has led to rapid expansion of agave plantations in Oaxaca, replacing over 86,000 acres of tropical dry and pine oak forests in the past 27 years. This accelerating deforestation is causing soil erosion, reducing carbon capture, and limiting groundwater recharge, with the ecosystem expected to take a long time to recover. While the mezcal boom has brought economic benefits to local producers, it has also created environmental costs that threaten the long-term sustainability of the industry.

Why it matters

Mezcal production has always been resource-intensive, requiring large amounts of water, firewood, and generating significant waste. As global demand has surged, the environmental impact has become unsustainable, with deforestation and water scarcity threatening the very ecosystems that mezcal production relies on. This story highlights the tension between economic growth and environmental preservation, and the challenges of balancing profitability with sustainability in the mezcal industry.

The details

Mezcal production in Mexico has skyrocketed from 1 million liters in 2010 to over 11 million liters in 2024, with nearly 75% of exports going to the United States. This rapid expansion has led to the clearing of over 86,000 acres of tropical dry and pine oak forests in two major mezcal-producing regions of Oaxaca to make way for agave plantations. The study found that agave plantations have expanded by over 400% in the past three decades, replacing forests and farmland with a single species of agave used in most commercial mezcal. This monoculture approach is accelerating soil erosion, reducing carbon capture, and limiting groundwater recharge, with the ecosystem expected to take a long time to recover.

  • In 2010, mezcal production in Mexico was around 1 million liters.
  • By 2024, mezcal production had surged to over 11 million liters.
  • In the past 27 years, over 86,000 acres of tropical dry and pine oak forests have been lost in two major mezcal-producing areas of Oaxaca.

The players

Gladys Sánchez Garnica

A 33-year-old woman who founded a collective called the 'Guardians of Mezcal' to promote sustainable mezcal production.

Rufino Sandoval-García

A professor at the Technological University of the Central Valley of Oaxaca who led a study on the environmental impact of the mezcal boom.

Félix Monterrosa

A third-generation mezcal producer from Santiago Matatlan who owns the Oaxacan brand CUISH.

Armando Martínez Ruiz

A mezcal producer in Soledad Salinas who sells his mezcal to the Mexican brand Amaras and has installed a system to reuse water during distillation.

Gabriel Bonfanti

The head of sustainability at Del Maguey, one of the world's top-selling mezcal brands.

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What they’re saying

“We were taught when to harvest agave, how to care for the soil, and how much we could ask of the forest.”

— Gladys Sánchez Garnica

“It will take a long time for the ecosystem to recover the resilience it once had.”

— Rufino Sandoval-García, Professor

“Now everything is monoculture, and that is the real problem.”

— Félix Monterrosa, Third-generation mezcal producer

“We never had enough water here, so I try not to waste it.”

— Armando Martínez Ruiz, Mezcal producer

“There are many people who criticize us and ask what we do to reforest, but we have to look for a livelihood and food.”

— Luis Cruz Velasco, Mezcal producer

What’s next

The Secretary of Environment in Mexico said it is investigating nine public complaints filed since 2021 over illegal land clearing for mezcal production. Efforts are also underway by local collectives and conservation groups to promote sustainable mezcal production and protect surrounding forests.

The takeaway

The mezcal boom has brought economic benefits to many local producers in Oaxaca, but the rapid expansion of agave plantations has come at a significant environmental cost. Addressing the sustainability challenges of the mezcal industry will require a balance between supporting livelihoods and protecting the ecosystems that the industry depends on, through policy incentives, community-led initiatives, and greater accountability for large brands.