The United States has halted shipments of avocados and mangoes from the Mexican state of Michoacan, according to a USDA notice seen by Bloomberg News.
The suspensions came as a result of two inspectors being held against their will following protests over police pay, local media reported. A USDA spokesman told Bloomberg News the suspensions would remain in place until further notice, pending the completion of a review of safety and new protective measures.
The spokesman was quoted as saying that exports from Mexico were not being halted in general, but only items that had not been inspected, and he also told the media that avocados and mangoes currently in transit would not be affected by the suspension.
It's the second time in the past two and a half years that a similar shipment from Mexico has been halted due to safety concerns: In 2022, a shipment was reportedly halted for a week after an incident that endangered the safety of inspectors, according to Bloomberg News. (Related article: New mayor assassinated in southern Mexico)
Bloomberg News reported that unchecked gang activity and corruption are hampering Mexican authorities' efforts to maintain law and order in Michoacan, Mexico's largest avocado-producing state. Mexico's continued lack of control over the state will only lead to further delays over time.
Hands slicing a mango – Stock Image (Photo by Jupiterimages/Getty Images)
This comes amid growing concern in the U.S. about the southern border with Mexico, further raising fears of potential danger.
This slowdown in exports could temporarily reduce supplies from resource-rich regions and make imported goods more expensive — with major implications for Americans already facing runaway inflation and rising food prices.
