U.S. Suspends avocado imports from Mexico after inspector receives threat

The U.S. has suspended the import of avocados from Mexico “until further notice” after a U.S. plant safety inspector received a threat in a town plagued by gang violence.

“U.S. health authorities ... made the decision after one of their officials, who was carrying out inspections in Uruapan, Michoacan, received a threatening message on his official cellphone,” Mexico’s Agriculture Department said in a statement.

The U.S. Embassy said that “facilitating the export of Mexican avocados to the U.S. and guaranteeing the safety of our agricultural inspection personnel go hand in hand.”

“We are working with the Mexican government to guarantee security conditions that would allow our personnel in Michoacan to resume operations,” the embassy posted on social media.

The announcement of the temporary suspension comes during the on the same day as the Super Bowl, one of the avocado industry’s busiest days of the year.

On Monday, Mexican President Manuel Lopez Obrador said authorities are looking into the U.S. government’s decision to halt imports.

Obrador said that decision might have been influenced by groups who gain something from the suspension.

"The truth is, there's always an economic, a commercial interest behind it," he said. "Or there's a political attitude."

Michoacan is the only Mexican state that is fully authorized to export avocados to the U.S. Over the past six weeks, Michoacan has exported over 135,000 tons of avocado to the U.S.

However, the industry has become a victim of gang turf wars and extortions. In 2019, inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services were threatened by a cartel. The incident prompted USDA to warn that further threats would result in an immediate cessation of activities.