From ‘Dog Fruit’ to Darling: How India Fell in Love With Avocados There was a time when an avocado falling from a tree in parts of India was hardly worth anyone’s attention. In some communities, ripe fruit was left on the ground for dogs to eat, earning the avocado the rather unfortunate nickname “dog fruit.” Today, the same fruit is becoming increasingly valuable, with farmers planting new orchards, restaurants demanding better supplies and consumers developing a taste for the creamy green fruit. India’s avocado transformation is a striking example of how quickly food habits can change. According to a BBC report, demand for avocados has grown dramatically over the past 15 years, creating an opportunity for farmers who once regarded the crop as little more than an afterthought. From shade tree to profitable crop Sunil Bopaiah, group manager at Cottanad Plantations in Kerala’s Wayanad hills, has witnessed the transformation firsthand. The plantation grows cocoa, rubber...