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Avocado Growers Await Super Bowl
Aired January 24, 2003 - 13:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now a look at the Super Bowl spread. We're not talking bets, but guacamole. This year's Super Bowl city is part of the nation's avocado capital. San Diego area growers are making sure the dip bowls are full of green.
CNN's Jen Rogers live from San Diego with more -- hi, Jen.
JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra. Well, that is definitely the case. As you can see, we are in the heart of avocado country here. Eighty-six percent of the nation's avocado crop actually comes from California, and about half of that comes from right here in San Diego County, which, of course, is home to the Super Bowl this weekend.
Now, avocado was once thought of as a pretty exotic fruit. Yes, it is a fruit, we checked on that.
Nowadays, though, it is becoming more and more commonplace, more popular fruit to eat, and now in California, it has become a $400 million a year business. And this weekend is said to be one of the biggest weekends of the year for the football-shaped fruit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEROME STEHLY, AVOCADO GROWER: Avocados, you'll see spikes in markets during holidays and party times, so the Super Bowl is our No. 2 day, and Cinco de Mayo is the No. 1 day. But we're also seeing Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day. You are seeing increase at -- when it's a party, people want to have guacamole and avocados.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROGERS: So just how much avocado and guacamole are we actually talking about for Super Bowl festivities? Well, the California Avocado Commission estimates it is going to be about 40 million pounds. Now, to mash that down for you, what that means is that you could take the football field where the Super Bowl is going to be played, and you could have 5 feet deep worth of guacamole, they say, from end zone to end zone. So a lot of avocados, and for farmers here, there will be some money coming into their pockets as well -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Not a bad deal, Jen. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 24, 2003 - 13:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now a look at the Super Bowl spread. We're not talking bets, but guacamole. This year's Super Bowl city is part of the nation's avocado capital. San Diego area growers are making sure the dip bowls are full of green.
CNN's Jen Rogers live from San Diego with more -- hi, Jen.
JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra. Well, that is definitely the case. As you can see, we are in the heart of avocado country here. Eighty-six percent of the nation's avocado crop actually comes from California, and about half of that comes from right here in San Diego County, which, of course, is home to the Super Bowl this weekend.
Now, avocado was once thought of as a pretty exotic fruit. Yes, it is a fruit, we checked on that.
Nowadays, though, it is becoming more and more commonplace, more popular fruit to eat, and now in California, it has become a $400 million a year business. And this weekend is said to be one of the biggest weekends of the year for the football-shaped fruit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEROME STEHLY, AVOCADO GROWER: Avocados, you'll see spikes in markets during holidays and party times, so the Super Bowl is our No. 2 day, and Cinco de Mayo is the No. 1 day. But we're also seeing Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day. You are seeing increase at -- when it's a party, people want to have guacamole and avocados.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROGERS: So just how much avocado and guacamole are we actually talking about for Super Bowl festivities? Well, the California Avocado Commission estimates it is going to be about 40 million pounds. Now, to mash that down for you, what that means is that you could take the football field where the Super Bowl is going to be played, and you could have 5 feet deep worth of guacamole, they say, from end zone to end zone. So a lot of avocados, and for farmers here, there will be some money coming into their pockets as well -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Not a bad deal, Jen. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
