If avocados are a staple of your diet, you may need to replan your meals. The United States suspended avocado inspections in Michoacan, Mexico, due to security threats, halting exports from the region. In response, Mexico deployed 1,500 additional troops to the state on Thursday to secure production areas and resume shipments. [1]
The United States imports more than 80 percent of its avocados from Mexico. U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors must verify the fruit on-site to block pests. Without these safety checks, exports freeze, which could lead to higher avocado prices in the United States. [2]
“Without these safety checks, exports freeze, which could lead to higher avocado prices in the United States.”
Reason
Michoacan is the primary state authorized to export avocados to the United States. It also experiences high levels of cartel activity. Criminal organizations in the area traffic drugs and extort local industries, including avocado farmers. Michoacan authorities described Wednesday’s suspension as a preventive measure following recent arrests linked to extortion.
History
Previous halts occurred due to violence against American workers, including a 2024 incident where two USDA employees were assaulted and held by attackers. The California Avocado Commission recently called for stricter monitoring of Mexican fruit. “The Trump administration is right to protect American personnel and confront the cartels,” said Ken Melban, president of the commission. The administration recently designated four cartels operating in Michoacan as terrorist organizations.
The current suspension only applies to Michoacan. Jalisco is the only other Mexican state authorized to export avocados to the United States, but it produces a much smaller volume. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested that local officials could perform the required inspections, but the USDA has historically maintained control of the process with security escorts. Despite government efforts to increase security, one anonymous Michoacan producer reported paying $5,000 daily in extortion fees to cartels to ship his crops.
Notes:
- ^PBS NewsHour. (2026). Why Mexican avocado exports to the U.S. have once again been stopped. PBS. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/why-mexican-avocado-exports-to-the-u-s-have-once-again-been-stopped (go back ↩)
- ^Ibid. (go back ↩)
