US Suspends Avocado Inspections in Michoacan Due to Threat
The United States has suspended all government operations in the Mexican state of Michoacan due to a threat to US interests. This decision includes a halt to the inspections of avocados required for their export, which could disrupt the flow of this essential commodity to the US market.
The western state of Michoacan is the leading exporter of avocados to the US and has a high level of organized crime activity. At least four cartels, designated as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration, operate in the region. These cartels engage in various illicit activities, including drug trafficking and extortion, with the latter affecting the avocado industry.
According to Michoacan Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, the temporary halt to inspections is intended to safeguard workers following recent arrests linked to extortion. The governor mentioned the arrest of ‘El Poncho,’ the alias of Alfonso Fernández Magallón, leader of a local cartel operating in the avocado-growing region around Los Reyes.
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson welcomed the arrest, which came over the weekend. The U.S. government had offered a $5 million reward for Fernández Magallón’s arrest. In response to the threat, 300 security personnel were deployed to the Los Reyes area as a preventive measure.
Mexico supplies approximately 80% of U.S. avocado imports, earning the nickname ‘green gold.’ The cultivation of avocados generates around 200,000 jobs in Michoacán alone. In 2025, Mexico sold $3.65 billion worth of avocados to the United States, and in the first four months of this year, those exports rose by 35% compared to the same period in the previous year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture sends inspectors in Mexico to monitor plantations and packing houses to ensure that exported produce is free of pests. Threats and violence against the inspectors have caused the U.S. to suspend inspections in the past.
The governor emphasized the priority of ensuring the security conditions necessary for these operations to resume normally. This has happened in the past, and the goal is to create a secure environment that will allow the avocado industry to flourish.
The suspension of inspections could have significant economic implications for the US and Mexico. Avocados are a vital crop for both countries, and any disruption to their trade could have far-reaching consequences.
