This month’s pause in avocado imports from Mexico brought to the forefront how much the US depends on Mexico for the fruit. Mark Davidson, Acting Deputy Administrator for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Plant Protection and Quarantine Program gives some statistics that show just how many avocados come from Mexico.
“The popularity of Mexican avocados is undeniable,” he said. “In 2021, the United States imported $3 billion worth of avocados globally with $2.8 billion, or 92 percent, of that coming from Mexico. In terms of volume, the United States imported 1.2 million metric tons of avocados with 1.1 million or 89 percent coming from Mexico. If we look at 2020 and 2021, approximately 80 percent of the avocados exported from Michoacan were for US markets.
He thanked Mexican officials for their help in allowing avocado inspections to resume.
“United States Department of Agriculture thanks our partners in Mexico for helping us to strengthen the supply chains that keep avocados from Mexico on American tables,” he said. “We’re glad that the fresh fruit will continue to be available, and we appreciate the assistance of the US Embassy in Mexico, Mexico’s National Plant Protection Organization SENASICA, and the Association of Avocado Producers and Packers/Exporters of Mexico, as well as the officials of Michoacan to help us resume avocado inspections.
Shipments of avocados from the Mexican state were suspended after a USDA inspector was threatened.
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Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.