The growing demand for alternative fuel in this country is transforming the Mexican countryside.

Some farmers are abandoning blue agave for corn.

In the highlands of Jalisco, workers known as jinateros harvest blue agave plants. They slash off the sharp leaves to get to the heart. It’s used to make tequila. The plants take at least six years to ripen. 

AP

That patience can pay off when agave prices are high, but now some growers are bulldozing their fields to make way for corn. It’s worth more, said one worker, thanks to the growing demand for ethanol. At same time agave prices have plummeted, there’s an overabundance of that plant.

One grower was so eager to clear his agave field some of the workers are harvesting plants that are not quite mature enough. He and others in the region are eager to cash in on corn before that crop’s prices peak.

People are hopeful it means more jobs in area known for heavy migration.

“I think this shift to corn is just a sign of desperation,” David Suro said.

Suro created his own premium tequila two years ago to appeal to increasing U.S. demand. He timed the launch to ensure there was enough agave available.

“It’s a casino business; it’s like you walk into a casino,” Suro said. “You don’t know if you’re going to win or lose; here you’re seeing the consequences.”

Now desperate farmers bet by turning their backs on blue agave they’ll hit the jackpot with corn. Some farmers are burning their agave fields to make way for corn.

Experts predict this will cause an agave shortage that will drive up the price of tequila.