Avocados caught in latest US-Mexico spat
The United States has suspended government operations in the Mexican state of Michoacán, including mandatory inspections for avocado exports, following what it described as a threat to American interests.
Mexico supplies about 80% of avocados imported by the United States. The trade was worth US$3.65 billion in 2025, while exports during the first four months of this year were up 35 per cent from the same period a year earlier.
In a security alert issued on Wednesday, the US Embassy in Mexico announced the suspension but did not disclose the nature of the threat. Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla later said the inspections had been paused to protect personnel after recent arrests linked to extortion activities in the state.
The inspections, conducted by the US Department of Agriculture, are required before Mexican avocados can be exported to the United States. USDA personnel oversee plantations and packing facilities to ensure fruit complies with US phytosanitary standards. Similar security incidents have forced temporary suspensions in the past.
Michoacán, the source of most Mexican avocado exports to the United States, has long been a hotspot for organised crime, with several cartels operating in the region. Beyond drug trafficking, criminal groups have built lucrative extortion rackets targeting the avocado industry, often referred to locally as "green gold".
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This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
