5 minNews
Mexican avocado imports raise cartel and food security concerns for US market
A surge in Mexican avocado imports, produced in regions where cartels extort growers, is raising concerns about national security, food safety, and the competitiveness of American farmers. The debate highlights the tension between consumer demand and the need for transparent, secure agricultural supply chains.
The growing American appetite for avocados is drawing renewed scrutiny to the origins of the fruit and the conditions under which it is produced, as a sharp increase in imports from Mexico raises concerns about organized crime, food safety, and the future of domestic farming.
Mexico shipped 670,026 metric tons of avocados to the United States during the first half of 2026, a 34% increase from the same period last year. The surge comes as Mexico's largest avocado-producing region, Michoacán, recently resumed shipments to the U.S. after a security crisis halted American agricultural operations there. Mexican authorities deployed more than 1,500 soldiers and National Guard personnel to protect orchards, packing houses, inspectors, trucks, and supply routes, marking the third suspension of U.S. inspection activities in the state in recent years.
The state remains under the U.S. government's highest travel advisory — Level 4, «Do Not Travel» — amid cartel violence, kidnapping, and organized crime. Cartels operating in Michoacán have been accused of extorting avocado growers and other agricultural businesses. One producer told The Associated Press that he pays an extortion fee on every kilogram he exports, costing him more than $5,000 a day.
This dynamic has led some observers to conclude that a portion of the economic activity generated by American avocado purchases can ultimately benefit Mexican criminal organizations. The concern extends beyond individual transactions to broader questions of national security and food security, as the U.S. becomes increasingly dependent on agricultural supply chains operating in regions where organized crime wields extraordinary influence.
California, home to nearly 3,000 avocado growers who contribute roughly $1.5 billion to the state's economy each year, is at the center of the debate. Many of these growers are family farmers who have spent generations producing avocados under American labor, environmental, food-safety, and regulatory standards. They employ American workers, support American communities, and pay American taxes.
California growers have raised serious concerns about changes to the inspection system for Mexican avocados. In late 2024, the Biden administration changed a long-standing inspection program under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that had relied on American inspectors in Mexican avocado orchards. The changes followed serious security incidents involving American agricultural personnel. Growers warned that weakening direct U.S. oversight could leave the system more vulnerable and increase the possibility that fruit from uncertified orchards could enter the export supply chain.
More than 150 pest interceptions have since reportedly been recorded at Mexican packing facilities following the changes to U.S. inspection protocols. The threat posed by agricultural pests is significant; if destructive pests become established in California, the consequences could be devastating for growers who have built their farms over generations.
The challenges surrounding Mexican avocado imports present an opportunity to advance priorities such as America First, Make America Healthy Again, and confronting the cartels. The issue is not about banning Mexican avocados or telling Americans they can never enjoy guacamole outside California's growing season. Rather, it is about establishing a principle: access to the American market should come with American standards, and American farmers should take priority.
If foreign producers want access to American consumers, the argument goes, there should be confidence that their products are properly inspected, traceable, and safe — and that the system governing their production is not being compromised by criminal organizations. At the same time, the extraordinary farmers producing avocados right here at home deserve priority consideration in the marketplace.
