Unlawful avocado groves should not ship their produce to the United States, according to Ambassador Ken Salazar.
Mexico, the world's largest avocado exporter, is set to make significant changes in its avocado export protocol to the United States. The shift comes in response to concerns about deforestation in the country's main avocado-producing regions.
In a recent statement, the Governor of Michoacan, Alfredo Ramirez, announced that an environmental guide will be included in the export protocol. This guide will refer to the Forest Guardian program, a local initiative aimed at protecting forests and combating illegal deforestation.
The official signing of the agreement is expected by January 2026. From this date, non-compliant products will no longer be allowed for export. This move could potentially prevent avocados grown on deforested lands from reaching U.S. distributors and supermarkets, according to Climate Rights International (CRI).
U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar has been vocal about the issue, stating that Mexican avocados grown in illegal orchards should not be exported to the United States. He also mentioned that there should be consequences if such products are found.
The announcement by Ambassador Salazar was described as "remarkable" by Daniel Wilkinson, a senior adviser at CRI. He expressed that the potential for effective regulation could be a game changer for local forests and communities.
Notably, the U.S. is planning to lift the ban on avocados from Michoacan, allowing for exports to resume. This is significant as Michoacan state is the only place on earth where avocado trees bloom four times a year.
In a twist, avocados from the state of Jalisco will finally enter the U.S. market after a 25-year ban. The ban on avocados from Michoacan has been named in a complaint. It remains to be seen how the new environmental guidelines will affect the export of avocados from both states.
As of now, four out of five avocados eaten in the United States are imported from Mexico. With the implementation of the new environmental guidelines, it is hoped that the avocado industry in Mexico will become more sustainable, benefiting both the environment and the communities involved in its production.
