Why is the 'blue agave' an important economic product of Mexico?

Tequila is a distilled beverage made from blue agave plant, primarily in the area 65 km (40 mi) northwest of Guadalaiara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands of the central western Mexican state of Jalisco.The red volcanic soils in the region of Tequila is well suited to growing the blue agave, and more than 300 millions of the plants are harvested there each year.

Mexican laws state that the Tequila can only be produce in the state of Jalisco and other limited municipalities. It is protected through NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) in Canada and the United States.It can be between 35 and 55% alcohol content (70 and 110 US proof). It must contain atleast 40% alcohol (80 U.S.proof) to be sold in the US.

Tequila is a distilled beverage that is made from the fermentation of sugar (fructose) found from the blue agave plant. Many factors influence the higher alcohol content of Tequila, which are molecules such as isobutyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol, and ethanol. The type of yeast most commonly found in Tequila is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The older the agave plant, the greater the alcohol production.The concentration of amyl alchol is increased as the plant aged by a factor 30%. However, a higher concentration of methanol (poisonous) is found when using younger plants.