U.S., Mexican officials pledge to stop avocado shipments from illegal orchards
The U.S. and Mexico will work to stop imports of avocados from illegal orchards in Mexico, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a news conference with Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramirez.
Msn.com reported that Salazar said there should be consequences if avocados imported to the U.S. were determined to be grown in illegal orchards in Michoacán and other states.
Deforestation is an environmental issue in Michoacán, and msn.com reported that Ramirez said at the news conference that at least 74,130 acres had been deforested between 2018 and 2023, with some of those acres in illegal avocado orchards, as identified by the local government's Forest Guardian initiative. Ramirez posted part of the news conference on his Facebook page.
According to the report by msn.com, Ramirez said he expected the export protocol for avocado shipments to the U.S. will soon include a clause to make sure that packaging will be based on the traceability of the product.
Msn.com also reported that nonprofit group Climate Rights International published research last year claiming that avocados grown on deforested lands in Mexico make their way to U.S. distributors and supermarkets.
