Why is there an avocado shortage? US suspends imports from Mexico over inspector death threat 

A temporary halt on US imports of avocados grown in Mexico has come into being. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the suspension came into effect on February 11. Michoacán is the only state which has been fully authorized to export to the US market. However, they have suspended “until further notice.”

This comes after the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service from the States went through a “security incident,” according to the Associated Press. An officer received a “verbal threat” on their phone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement:

“The suspension will remain in place for as long as necessary to ensure the appropriate actions are taken to secure the safety of APHIS personnel working in Mexico.”

Specific information regarding the nature of the threat has not been made public.

Mexico announced the USDA’s decision on the night before the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. Traditionally, it is the time of the year having the most consumption of the fruit. Luckily, the States had received the produce several weeks before the game.

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How will the US be affected by the avocado shortage?

Raul Lopez, the manager of Agtools, an agricultural market research company, told The Washington Post that the current inventory will eventually be sold out and that “there will be a lack of product in almost any supermarket.”

The States are currently at risk for a critical avocado shortage as 8 out of 10 avocados brought into the US are from Michoacán.

As the price of the fruit is already higher compared to the same time last year, the shortage will gauge the prices. Lopez added:

“The consumer will have very few products available and prices will rise drastically.”

According to Reuters, Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is looking into the situation. The President added that Mexico and the US have also had “very good” relations. However, he believes that the suspension is politically motivated. This comes after Biden expressed concern about Mexico’s adherence to environmental clauses in trade agreements.

Since the suspension came into being, the US embassy said in a Twitter statement that they are working with Gobierno MX to ensure personnel security conditions. They will then resume operations.