The Tequila Industry in Jalisco, Mexico

In Jalisco, several liquors are extracted from plants of the genus Agave L. Tequila is the most important of these, because of its large national and international market. It is a major Mexican export product. In order to produce the various tequilas, the juices of Agave tequilana Weber are fermented, distilled, and prepared in various forms. The principal plantations are located between 20°30' and 21° north latitude and 102°30' and 104° west longitude and cover 16,000 hectares of dry-farmed lands with a warm temperate, semi-arid climatic regime. Over 50% of the factories are located in the Tequila region of Jalisco; these account for 80% of the world production.Desert Plants is published by The University of Arizona for the Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum. For more information about this unique botanical journal, please email the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Publications Office at pubs@cals.arizona.edu