Mexico City’s recent drought has turned cilantro into a luxury good for its taqueros, and it’s unlikely to be the last time. Over the course of this spring, as May turned to June without any sign of the usual early-summer rains, a simple ingredient reached extravagant prices.
Maricela, at Tacos Arturo in the city’s Barrio Santa Lucía neighborhood, usually buys cilantro by the 5-kilo bunch for 150 pesos ($8.40). Now, a single kilo costs her 300 pesos. Within just a few months, the herb, typically a minor item on a business’ budget, has become a luxury good.
Gerardo Cerros at nearby Tacos Kenia saw the cost of five-kilo bunches of cilantro increase tenfold: from 80 or 100 pesos to 1,000 pesos ($55) – almost a week’s supply of the ingredient. “They say the price is going to go down, but I don’t know when,” he says.
A taco with a sparse amount of cilantro may not be the same, as omitting the garnish is unthinkable for denizens of the capital. “I use a little bit less, but without cilantro, it’s not the same,” Maricela says.
Mexico has seen record-breaking temperatures every month since October 2023. Since March, according to scientists from the World Weather Attribution, a global climate study group, heat has reached dangerous levels. Consecutive years of drought accompany the heat wave.
Cilantro happens to be one of the more heat-sensitive crops in Mexican cuisine. Consuelo Bonfil, a biologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, noticed the phenomenon play out on a small scale in her home garden this spring.
Mexico City has faced chronic water shortages for years, largely due to lack of maintenance of existing infrastructure. For Emmanuel Balderas, who prepares tortas at Las Tortochas in the Santa María la Ribera neighborhood, water cutoffs in the capital add another task to the workday.
But the lack of cilantro is particularly emblematic for the capital’s food scene. Mexico City eats on the street. The street taco is the quintessential meal for workers: cheap, fast and ubiquitous, meat in a tortilla topped with a sprinkling of onion and cilantro, distributed with the taquero’ s distinctive snap of the wrist that evokes both style and assembly-line efficiency.
Cilantro has been a staple ingredient in Mexican cuisine for decades, particularly in central Mexico City’s street tacos. The herb’s popularity can be attributed to its spicy and bright flavor profile, which adds depth and freshness to various dishes. However, the recent cilantro shortage has caused prices to skyrocket, forcing taqueros and diners alike to find alternative solutions.
According to food historian Yolanda García, cilantro was introduced to Mexico by Spanish conquistadors in the form of coriander seeds. It wasn’t until the 20th century that its leaves became popular in central Mexican cuisine. Today, cilantro is an integral part of many traditional dishes, including tacos.
The shortage is attributed to a combination of delayed rainfall and heat waves, which have resulted in withered crops. This, combined with policies prioritizing water usage for industrial purposes over small-scale farmers, has led to the current crisis. Small-scale farmers rely heavily on rainfall and do not have access to watering technologies or training, making them more vulnerable to adverse weather conditions.
To address this issue, some experts propose shifting away from industrial agricultural techniques and adopting sustainable practices such as agroforestry systems and ancestral farming methods. These methods promote biodiversity, soil health, and efficient water use. Additionally, supporting small farmers by providing them with resources and training can help ensure a more resilient food system.
In the meantime, taqueros are finding ways to ration out their cilantro supplies while still maintaining their customers’ expectations for flavor. As Alan García of Kekas Paco notes, “A taco without cilantro isn’t a taco.” The unique flavor profile of Mexico City’s tacos is indeed at risk due to climate change, and it will be important to find innovative solutions to ensure the continued enjoyment of this beloved dish.
Sources: Eater
