The United States has suspended the reception of avocados from Mexico this Wednesday due to the wave of violence that, in recent days, has struck the State of Michoacán. The United States Embassy in Mexico has issued a security alert for the region, which has forced the American supervisors from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to leave their inspection posts in the fruit-producing area. Mexico cannot export avocados to the neighboring country if the product has not been approved by the American inspectors.
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The Governor of Michoacán, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, has confirmed to Mexican television that the American supervisors have left the region and assured that their departure is a “preventive measure” by Washington due to the climate of violence in the area following the arrest last week of Ramón Álvarez Ayala, alias R1, a prominent operator of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Michoacán. Ramírez Bedolla stated that Álvarez Ayala was “one of the most important extortionists in the Michoacán region.”
The Association of Avocado Producers and Export Packers of Mexico (APEAM) has indicated that the U.S. government has informed them that they will only accept avocados processed up to August 4. “The shipment of fruit destined for export is not authorized, so each packing house must evaluate and make the operational decisions it deems appropriate regarding the execution of cuts during this day,” the avocado guild explained in a statement.
The State of Michoacán is the main avocado producer in Mexico, with 88%. Ramírez Bedolla estimates that at least half of the production is exported to the United States, while the rest is distributed in the domestic market. “We are not in high season, although production occurs year-round,” he mentioned to ease concerns about the suspension. Just last week, Mexico’s Department of Agriculture boasted that exports of the fruit to the United States had risen by 35% in the first four months of 2026. In 2025, avocado was the second most shipped food product to the United States, representing 8.1% of agricultural exports, totaling about 3.653 billion dollars.
The last time Mexico suspended avocado exports to the United States was in February 2022. At that time, one of the USDA inspectors was threatened by a criminal group, leading Washington to halt fruit processing for eight days. After agreeing on security measures with the Mexican government, activities in the avocado region resumed. On that occasion, the stoppage coincided with the Super Bowl, which is considered a high season due to increased avocado consumption in the United States.
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