Canada’s avocado supply not impacted by U.S. pause on Mexico inspections

Canada's avocado imports from Mexico have not experienced a significant impact following the United States' temporary suspension of inspections in Michoacan state, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The U.S. government paused import inspection activities in Michoacan, Mexico's primary avocado-producing region, citing security concerns linked to organized crime groups that have been extorting growers and exporters. The CFIA stated that it has not conducted any recent international verification activities on avocados originating from Michoacan or the neighboring state of Jalisco, where many avocados are also cultivated.

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Canada has not seen a significant impact on the imports of avocados from Mexico since the suspensions of United States inspections in Mexico’s Michoacan state

Despite the U.S. action, the CFIA reported that the volume of avocado imports into Canada has remained consistent year over year, with a slight increase observed in the past three years. This suggests that Canadian consumers are unlikely to face shortages or significant price changes due to the U.S. inspection halt.

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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has not conducted any recent international verification activities on avocados originating from the Michoacan State or the state of Jalisco

In response to the security issues, Mexico has deployed over 1,500 soldiers and National Guard personnel to Michoacan. The defense ministry announced that this deployment aims to protect key producing municipalities, packing facilities, transportation routes, and inspection points from organized crime. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum indicated that the government is working with the U.S. Embassy on a plan to ensure inspector safety in areas where the National Guard's presence was previously limited, expressing a desire for a "brief suspension" to resume exports.

Canada's travel advisory for Mexico includes parts of Michoacan and Jalisco, warning against non-essential travel due to high levels of violence and organized crime. These states experienced a surge in violence earlier in the year following a military operation against a notorious drug lord.

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We are looking for this to be a brief suspension so we can recover exports