The United States has temporarily suspended avocado export inspections in Michoacán following a security alert, halting approval of new shipments of Michoacán avocados to the US market on Wednesday. State authorities and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are in talks to review measures to bolster the protection of US personnel overseeing exports.
Industry representatives in Michoacán issued an urgent call for government action to guarantee security after the suspension, warning that the move could cause shortages and price increases. They condemned acts of violence that affect the state’s economic and social stability and said insecurity threatens the livelihoods of thousands of families who depend on the sector.
Apeam, the Mexican grower-packer association, said the US government had temporarily halted activities in Michoacán, disrupting the work of USDA regulatory personnel who verify compliance with export requirements at authorised packinghouses. “Shipments of export avocados are not being approved,” Apeam said, adding that each packhouse must decide on its own whether to harvest and operate.
According to the USDA, only avocados received on or before 4 August are being authorised for export to the US, provided their receipt took place in the presence of a regulatory officer from the US agency. The US Embassy in Mexico confirmed the suspension but did not provide details about what prompted the decision or specify the nature of the threat.
Michoacán avocados: security response and export rules
Michoacán is Mexico’s largest avocado exporter, accounting for around 75 per cent of national production. Producers said avocados are a primary source of employment and rural development in the state, and that a lack of security could affect producers, pickers, packers, transporters and other workers across the export supply chain.
The suspension follows a crackdown by Michoacán law enforcement on extortion crimes. Local criminal groups regularly demand protection money from avocado producers. According to reporting, the Michoacán Secretariat of Public Security and USDA representatives are reviewing measures to bolster the protection of US personnel responsible for overseeing avocado exports. The state agency said the Civil Guard will strengthen preventive and operational actions in the region to help ensure security.
Producers in Jalisco reacted to Wednesday’s decision. Luis González, president of the Agro-industrial Commission of the Council of Industrial Chambers of Jalisco (CCIJ), said the events in Michoacán should raise alarm bells for Jalisco and that the state could face a similar suspension unless authorities strengthen security conditions for the agro-industry. He also did not rule out the possibility that the measure could create a commercial opportunity for Jalisco exporters if imported avocado prices rise.
Market participants warned that the longer the suspension lasts, the greater the opportunity for other suppliers such as Peru, Colombia and Brazil to fill the gap in the US market. Mexico exported nearly 1.28mn tonnes of avocados in 2025, valued at approximately US$3.696bn. The US market accounted for 87 per cent of that export volume, equivalent to around 1.1mn tonnes.
