Get ready to dust off the avocado dough.
Cartel violence could lead to higher avocado prices for Americans after the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended testing of so-called “green gold” in one Mexican state over safety concerns.
Two inspectors employed by the U.S. Embassy in Mexico were suspended last month after they were assaulted in an avocado field in the southwestern state of Michoacan, the country’s largest avocado-producing state. NBC San Diego and Telemundo 20 reported the news..
As demand for the green fruit has soared in the United States over the past few decades, drug cartels have expanded their traditional drug and human trafficking businesses into the avocado industry, which generates $3 billion to $5 billion a year in revenue in Mexico.
“The economy of southern Mexico is based on agriculture, making it a key region for drug cartels to gain control or a foothold in the entire industry in the region,” Dr Mario Dip, from Setis University, told reporters.
Last week, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said the inspections Gradual reopening in Mexico StateBut he noted that the safety of inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service working in Mexico must first be guaranteed.
“Further work needs to be done to ensure the safety of inspectors, resume inspections and remove obstacles to trade of avocados and mangoes from Michoacan to the United States,” he said in a statement.
According to the report, parties on both sides of the border will lose millions of dollars due to the testing halt.
“It is estimated that the region will lose between $7 million and $10 million per day while the suspension continues,” Diep said.
US restaurateurs are concerned that an avocado shortage caused by the ban could have an impact on the industry.
Lisa Sotero, owner of Lisa’s Cocina in San Diego, said she relies on a steady supply of avocados to make guacamole for tacos, burritos and other dishes, and she worries an avocado shortage could hurt her business.
“I’m starting to get scared,” she said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture first notified Mexican avocado export growers and packers in June of its decision to halt new exports from Mexico’s western states.
The United States suspended inspections for about a week in February 2022 after health and safety inspectors received threatening messages.
