MICHOACÁN, MEXICO — U.S. authorities fully lifted security restrictions on avocado exports from Michoacán state eight days after the alert was issued. Avocado exports from Mexico to the United States resumed following the lifting of the security alert.

U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors returned to Michoacán to certify avocados for pest-free status before entry into the United States. The resumption of inspections allows shipments to clear customs and enter the U.S. market, where more than 80% of Mexican avocados are sold.

Francisco Isidro, a 39-year-old avocado picker with two decades of experience, returned to work in Santa Ana Zirosto, Michoacán, the morning after the alert was lifted. "Thank God and now we’re getting paid!" Isidro said.

More than 1,500 Mexican soldiers were deployed to protect the avocado-growing region in Michoacán during the suspension. Authorities did not disclose the specific threat that triggered the U.S. security alert.

Michoacán is Mexico’s main avocado-producing state, and approximately 200,000 people are employed by the avocado industry in the region. Four cartels designated as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration operate in Michoacán.

Valentín Rodríguez, an avocado industry businessperson, expressed uncertainty regarding the stability of the trade relationship. "If the United States says that it is suspending technical services for security reasons, it’s impossible to export. If it’s for a plant health, it’s the same," Rodríguez said.

Rodriguez added that the industry remains vulnerable to external decisions. "We are at the mercy of whatever the U.S. market and government decide to do with the industry," he said. He noted the temporary nature of the current calm, stating, "We’ll be safe for a while, we’ll see what happens next."

Mexico shipped nearly 4,800 tons of avocados a day to the United States in March 2026. The volume shows the scale of the trade flow that halts when security alerts suspend certification services.

Why It Matters

The avocado industry supports approximately 200,000 workers in Michoacán, making the suspension and resumption of exports a critical economic event for the region. With more than 80% of Mexican avocados sold to the United States, the market dependence creates leverage for U.S. regulatory and security decisions.

The presence of four cartels designated as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration in Michoacán shows the security challenges underlying the trade. The deployment of more than 1,500 Mexican soldiers indicates the level of state intervention required to maintain export conditions.

Timeline

The Agriculture Department published a rule titled Hass Avocados From Mexico; Importation Into the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and Other Changes on 2010-12-28. Luis Manuel Soto, a grower and packer from western Michoacán, reported being pulled from his vehicle and threatened by armed men in 2024.

Mexico shipped nearly 4,800 tons of avocados a day to the United States in March 2026. On August 14, 2026, U.S. authorities fully lifted security restrictions on avocado exports from Michoacán state eight days after the alert was issued. Avocado exports from Mexico to the United States resumed following the lifting of the security alert on the same day.

U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors returned to Michoacán to certify avocados for pest-free status before entry into the United States on August 14, 2026. Francisco Isidro, a 39-year-old avocado picker with two decades of experience, returned to work in Santa Ana Zirosto, Michoacán, the morning after the alert was lifted on August 15, 2026. "Thank God and now we’re getting paid!" Isidro said on August 15, 2026.

What's New

Mexico is located in Latin America & Caribbean with its capital in Mexico City and is classified by the World Bank as a upper middle income economy. Santa Ana Zirosto is town in Uruapan Municipality, State of Michoacán, Mexico. PureSource News previously reported that Mexico Trade Negotiators Begin Third Round of Talks.

PureSource News previously reported that Mexico President Sheinbaum Refuses U.S. Request To Extradite Sinaloa Governor. The Agriculture Department published a rule titled Hass Avocados From Mexico; Importation Into the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and Other Changes on 2010-12-28. Michoacán was established in 1823.