The US confirms suspension of inspections of avocados and mangoes in Mexico after attacks

The United States suspended inspections of avocados (avocados) and mangoes in the state of Michoacán (western Mexico) until the “security issues“after two US officials”were recently attacked and arrested”Ambassador Ken Salazar reported this Tuesday.

“To ensure the safety of our agricultural inspection teams, the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has suspended inspections of avocados and mangoes in Michoacan until these security issues have been resolved“said Salazar in a statement.

The diplomat reported that two employees of the United States Department of Agriculture “They were recently attacked and detained while doing their work in the state of Michoacán inspecting avocados.“, although he specified that “They are no longer in captivity”.

The measure implies the temporary suspension of exports of these two fruits from this Mexican state, one of the main agricultural producers in the country and the largest exporter of avocado.

“This pause does not affect other Mexican states, where APHIS inspections continue. This action does not block all exports of avocados or mangoes to the United States, nor does it stop products currently in transit“said Salazar.

According to the Association of Avocado Producers and Packers Exporters of Mexico (APEAM), this suspension of exports could extend up to two weeks.

The US ambassador to Mexico announced that he will travel to Michoacán next week to meet with Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla and the APEAM “to address, among other important issues, the security”.

Avocado from Mexican producers is the leader in production and export worldwide with 1.68 million tons annually, with the states of Michoacán and Jalisco as the main exporters.

The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, described this Tuesday as a measure “unilateral” driven by the electoral environment in the United States.