“There is already a proposal so that the export of avocado can be regularized, normalized and a resolution must be issued today,” said the Secretary of the Interior, Adán López, during the usual daily press conference of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
“We hope that it will be positive and that starting next week the export process can be resumed on a daily basis,” added the official.
Expansión published this week that in just 4 days, avocado producers in the state of Michoacán have lost 36 million dollars. that is, 734.7 million pesos (mdp), for this suspension.
The measure in force since February 11 not only impacts the producers of Michoacán (which is the only state in Mexico that can export avocados to the United States), but also the entire distribution chain responsible for the product reaching the neighbor. from North.
The United States Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), dependent on the USDA, interrupted export reviews on February 11, although it clarified that crops approved before that date could continue to be exported. .
“The suspension will remain in place for as long as necessary to ensure that appropriate action is taken to ensure the safety of APHIS personnel working in Mexico,” the US Department of Agriculture said.
López Obrador suggested that there may be political motivations behind the decision, causing new bilateral friction, in addition to those existing in the automotive, labor and energy sectors.
Michoacán, whose avocado producers exported more than 135,000 tons of the product to the United States, has been the frequent epicenter of armed confrontations between criminal groups for years, in particular the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the most powerful in the country.
With information from Reuters
