APHIS Suspends Avocado Inspections in Mexican State, Effectively Stopping Imports

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on Feb. 11 suspended avocado export program operations in the Mexican state of Michoacan, after a “security incident” that included a verbal threat to an APHIS employee, an agency spokesperson emailed Feb. 14. “The suspension will remain in place for as long as necessary to ensure the appropriate actions are taken, to secure the safety of APHIS personnel working in Mexico,” the spokesperson said.

“APHIS is working with Customs and Border Protection of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to allow avocados that were inspected and certified for export on or before February 11, 2022, to continue to be imported,” the spokesperson said.

APHIS told Mexico’s National Food Health, Food Safety and Quality Service (Senasica) it will complete an investigation to evaluate the threat and determine steps to be taken to guarantee the security of its personnel that work in Michoacan, Senasica said on Feb. 12. APHIS also told Senasica that it will, alongside the Mexican exporter collective, meet with local and state police to consider how to approach the issue.

The threatening phone call was received by an APHIS official conducting an inspection in Urapan, Michoacan, on their official mobile phone, Senasica said. Michoacan is the only Mexican state currently authorized for the export of avocados to the U.S., with inspection at the local packinghouse a requirement under the avocado export program. The U.S. and Mexico are currently in the process of authorizing avocados from the Mexican state of Jalisco.

“Facilitating the exportation of Mexican avocados to [the U.S.] and guarantee the security of our agricultural inspection teams go hand in hand,” the U.S. Embassy in Mexico said in a tweet Feb. 13, according to a translation. “We are working with [the Mexican government] to guarantee security conditions that permit our personnel in [Michoacan] to resume operations.” CBP didn't comment.