The most recent U.S. avocado inspection suspension in Mexico has caused industry on both sides losses of $7 million a day. However, the Mexican avocado industry is worried about the longer term reputation damage as a supplier. This is due to safety concerns for U.S. inspections staff in certain Mexican growing areas, with the latest incident in the state of Michoacán two weeks ago.
Industry members commented that the one-week suspension further added to possible supply shortages of avocados just before another big consumption date of the 4th July in the U.S.
Liliana Zamudio, responsible for commercial avocado activities at the grower and packer Avozana, based in Periban Michoacán, Mexico, says it does not only affect a single company or only the state in which the ban applied. "It is more than just affecting the company, which for us is sad because the efforts to be in the U.S. market are great, and the problems are beyond our control. It makes you understand how fragile this commercial relation is, even after more than two decades and despite being the leader of avocado exports worldwide. We are more worried about the long term effects of the repeated problems with inspectors and the conditions that affect Michoacán specifically. The threat for us as an origin is how these problems can lead to the U.S. finding it attractive to generate stronger alliances with other origins to avoid problems with supply."
For Natalia Andrea Merienne, a Mexican who lives in the U.S. with her own importing company Avocado Queen, the ban is a huge loss, which she says has cost the industry on both sides $7 million a day. "It really has been a very, very desperate situation, a little bit sad for us, especially for me as a Mexican, because we know that this situation was caused by the lack of security in Mexico. However, I am a bit happy that there is already a solution and let's hope that this time Mexico will take action on the matter, that it will have lines of action to support the avocado industry. In reality, we all have the data that this industry is very significant, this week every day $7 million a day was lost, so it is something quite shocking both in the economy of Mexico and in the U.S. economy and especially the shortage it causes with end consumers having to pay a very high price for the product, which we as importers want to avoid because we want to be an accessible product, to be a product that everyone can have at home."
Last Friday, June 21, the U.S. ambassador in Mexico Ken Salazar already announced that government inspections of avocados and mangos in the Mexican state of will gradually resume. This news came a week after inspections were halted due to security concerns as two USDA employees were detained by assailants. Inspectors have gradually returned to the packing plants, but according to Salazar, more work needs to be done to safeguard their security. The Mexican industry agrees and says they are hopeful their government will do more to secure their industry and keep the trade going.
For more information:
Liliana Zamudio
Avozana
[email protected]
Natalia Andrea Merienne
Avocado Queen
www.avocadoqueen.us