Americans have a growing appetite for avocados, and a single state in Mexico supplies nearly all of the fruit eaten in the United States.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently suspended inspections of avocados and mangoes set to be shipped from Mexico, citing security issues for agency workers stationed in Michoacán, a state in western Mexico where criminal groups have sought to infiltrate the thriving avocado industry.
The U.S. ambassador to Mexico said in late June that inspections would “gradually” resume, and visited Michoacán last week to meet with state and federal authorities.
Here’s what to know about the avocado trade between the United States and Mexico.
The average American consumes more than eight pounds of avocados per year, roughly triple the amount in the early 2000s, according to the U.S.D.A.
Organizations:
U.S . Department of Agriculture
Locations:
Mexico, United States, Michoacán, U.S