A Mexican private citizen has filed a complaint over alleged environmental damage from avocado production under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) free trade agreement. The unnamed complainant argues that Mexico does not properly apply its own environmental laws around protecting forestry and water supplies from the disruption caused by avocado plantations in Michoacan state, the country's top avocado producing region.
The filing, submitted February 2 to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, claims that between 1976 and 2005, between 25% and 35% of forests disappeared in parts of Michoacan. The complaint also flagged negative impacts on water quality. It comes as demand is high for Mexican avocados, a food beloved by US consumers for snacks during the Super Bowl, which takes place on Sunday.
Source: reuters.com