The United States has temporarily suspended avocado export inspection activities in Mexico’s Michoacan state after a security alert on Wednesday, disrupting the work of U.S. regulatory personnel who verify compliance at authorized packinghouses, according to Mexico’s avocado producers and packers association, APEAM.
APEAM said the U.S. government had halted activities in Michoacan, where USDA staff normally oversee packinghouse operations to confirm that fruit meets U.S. export requirements. Those inspections are a prerequisite for avocados bound for the United States, and a prolonged suspension could slow or temporarily stop shipments from Michoacan, the country’s primary producing region for the U.S. market.
The association noted that, for the time being, only fruit that was received on Tuesday in the presence of a USDA official can be processed. Fruit that was received or unloaded on Wednesday may be unloaded at facilities but cannot be processed, and APEAM reported that no export shipments were authorized during the day.
Mexico is on track to ship roughly 1.2 million metric tons of avocados to the United States in 2026, as strong demand from that market is helping drive total Mexican avocado exports to a record 1.31 million metric tons, based on USDA data. The United States accounts for nearly 90% of Mexico’s avocado exports by volume, making it by far the country’s largest foreign market.
Michoacan Governor Alfredo Ramirez said state officials were engaging with the U.S. embassy and coordinating with both U.S. and Mexican security authorities to restore inspection operations as soon as possible. He described the suspension as a preventive action by the U.S. government aimed at protecting its employees.
The region has experienced similar interruptions in the past: APEAM and local officials say comparable inspection disruptions occurred in 2022 and 2024 due to security concerns. Michoacan has long faced challenges from organized crime and gang violence, factors referenced by local authorities in relation to the current halt in inspection activities.
At present, the suspension is temporary and framed as a protective measure. How long the pause in inspection activity will last was not specified in the information released by APEAM and state officials. Stakeholders dependent on the inspected flow of fruit to the United States will be affected if the suspension continues, given the centrality of Michoacan’s output to Mexican exports to the U.S. market.
Note: This report reflects statements attributed to APEAM and Michoacan state officials and cites USDA export figures as provided in official remarks and data disclosed by authorities.