Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla has acknowledged the great willingness of the US embassy to work on a security model for inspectors and resume inspections of avocados and mangoes as soon as possible. The governor mentioned that the United States ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, will visit Morelia next week to find a prompt solution to the situation caused by the avocado ban.
While the avocado ban affects thousands of jobs, it is not considered serious because it is the low season and production is limited due to drought effects. Additionally, the fruit that was already in transit was not stopped by US authorities. The mango situation, on the other hand, is different, as there are 19 packing plants in Michoacán that send 5 thousand tons per week to the United States, amounting to over 30 million pesos. Producers warned that since mango is a short season fruit that cannot be stored, the impact is significant.
A spokesperson for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Thursday that inspections were halted on June 17 due to a security incident. The inspections will resume once the security situation is reviewed and protocols and safeguards are established for USDA personnel.
