The U.S. has halted imports of avocados from a Mexican state following a safety threat against a U.S. ag inspector.
Mexican government officials report that US authorities made the decision after an inspector, based in Michoacán, received a threatening message on their official cell phone. Lucero Hernández, public affairs specialist with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service tells Brownfield the suspension will remain in place as long as necessary to ensure the appropriate actions are taken to secure the safety of personnel working in Mexico.
Michoacán is the only state in Mexico currently approved to export avocados into the US. APHIS says it is working with Customs and Border Protection to allow products that have already been inspected and certified for export or are already in transit to be imported.
In 2021, more than 2 billion pounds of avocados were sold to the US from Michoacán.
