US halts avocado inspections in Mexico’s high producing state

A safety scare in one in every of Mexico’s greatest avocado-producing states has abruptly stopped US inspections, threatening to disrupt shipments of the favored fruit into America.

The US Embassy introduced Wednesday all US authorities operations in Michoacán had been suspended due to what it described as a “risk to US pursuits.”

The transfer features a pause on the federal inspections required earlier than Mexican avocados might be exported to the US.

Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla mentioned the inspections had been quickly halted to guard personnel following current arrests tied to an extortion investigation.

The governor mentioned officers’ precedence was to “make sure the safety circumstances needed for these operations to renew usually,” noting comparable suspensions have occurred earlier than.

The stoppage may shortly ripple by way of the avocado provide chain. Mexico supplies roughly 80% of the avocados imported into the US, with Michoacán serving because the nation’s largest export hub for the crop, usually referred to regionally as “inexperienced gold.”

People’ avocado obsession relies upon closely on Mexico. The US imported a document 2.87 billion kilos of contemporary avocados final yr, about 83% of them from Mexico. Whereas California produces about 90% of the nation’s homegrown avocados, its crop isn’t almost massive sufficient to fulfill the nation’s urge for food.

The US Division of Agriculture stations inspectors in Mexico to look at orchards and packing amenities, guaranteeing exported produce meets US requirements and is freed from dangerous pests. Safety considerations have pressured comparable inspection suspensions up to now.

The avocado commerce has grow to be a multibillion-dollar enterprise.

Mexico exported about $3.65 billion price of avocados to the US in 2025, and shipments throughout the first 4 months of 2026 climbed roughly 35% in contrast with the identical interval a yr earlier.

The western Mexican state can also be a hotspot for organized crime.

At the very least 4 drug cartels — designated as overseas terrorist organizations by the Trump administration — function within the area, profiting not solely from narcotics trafficking but in addition from extortion schemes concentrating on the profitable avocado trade.

Michoacán State Safety Secretary Antonio Cruz advised The Related Press that one of many current arrests concerned Alfonso Fernández Magallón, higher referred to as “El Poncho,” an alleged cartel chief accused of working within the avocado-growing area surrounding Los Reyes.

US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson praised the weekend arrest.

The US authorities had beforehand provided a $5 million reward for info resulting in Fernández Magallón’s seize.

Cruz mentioned authorities weren’t conscious of any direct threats or incidents involving US avocado inspectors. Even so, officers dispatched about 300 safety personnel to the Los Reyes space as a precaution.

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