US lifts Mexico avocado export alert

The United States lifted a security alert that had temporarily halted avocado exports from Mexico — Michoacán, Mexico's main avocado-producing state. The alert, which lasted eight days, was triggered by unspecified security threats in a region where four cartels designated as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration operate. Following the deployment of more than 1,500 Mexican soldiers and arrests related to extortion, U.S. authorities fully removed the restrictions, allowing orchards to reopen, packing plants to resume full operations, and USDA inspectors to return to certify fruit for export. The resumption restored daily wages for roughly 200,000 workers in the avocado industry, though growers and workers remain concerned about persistent violence and extortion. The event highlights the dependence of Mexican avocado exports on U.S. security and inspection decisions, as more than 80% of Mexican avocados are sold to the U.S.