US, Mexico reach agreement on avocado certification

A new certification program initiated by the state of Michoacan, Mexico, aims to verify that avocado exports to the United States do not come from deforested areas or are involved in illegal activities, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico said. The program, which was launched in late August, will cover more than 148,000 hectares. “We hope for a rigorous implementation of this program,” Ambassador Ken Salazar noted during an announcement in Ciudad Juarez.

Concerns have been raised about the impact of the US demand for Mexican avocados, which amounts to approximately $3 billion annually, on deforestation in Mexico. Reports suggest that avocado production may have led to the deforestation of more than 40,000 hectares in the past decade. Furthermore, the involvement of drug cartels in the avocado industry in Michoacan, a region notorious for its security problems, has further complicated the situation. Earlier this year, avocado exports from Michoacan were temporarily suspended after an incident in which two US agricultural inspectors were detained during a protest.

Source: BNN Bloomberg