USDA suspends inspections of avocados and mangoes in Mexico state due to safety concerns

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has temporarily halted all new exports of mangoes and avocados from Michoacán, Mexico, following an incident that reportedly raised safety concerns among safety inspectors on the ground.

An agency spokesperson said Monday that the inspection program will be suspended until it can ensure that Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service inspectors working in Mexico are safe.

While the USDA did not elaborate on the nature of the specific security threats, Reuters first reported that the suspension stemmed from a protest in support of local police in the municipality of Paracho.

“The programs will remain paused until the safety situation is assessed and protocols and safety measures are in place for APHIS personnel,” the USDA spokesperson added.

The USDA first notified Mexico’s avocado exporters and packers earlier this month of its decision to suspend new exports from the western Mexican state.

Any products already inspected and in transit will not be blocked or affected by the suspension, the agency said.

This is the second time in just over two years that inspections have been suspended following an incident in February 2022 related to the safety of USDA employees. This incident was resolved within a week of the ban and did not seriously impact the US avocado supply.

The USDA has inspectors in Mexico who ensure that products meet U.S. standards. Without whose signature the avocados and mangoes cannot be sent north.

Michoacán and Jalisco are the only two Mexican states allowed to export avocados to the US, an industry worth billions of dollars annually.

Michoacán is known as one of the most dangerous states in Mexico, dominated by organized crime for decades. The avocado industry is no exception, where extortion is rampant in the lucrative fresh produce sector.

If the current issue is not resolved as quickly as the 2022 incident, and the supply chain is disrupted for an extended period, supply in the US could be impacted.

Conor Finnegan and Matthew Rivers of ABC News contributed to this report.