US suspends Mexican avocado imports prior to Super Bowl

[discocrisco01]

Source: Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico has acknowledged that the U.S. government has suspended all imports of Mexican avocados after a U.S. plant safety inspector in Mexico received a threat.

The surprise suspension was confirmed late Saturday on the eve of the Super Bowl, the biggest sales opportunity of the year for Mexican avocado growers.

Avocado exports are the latest victim of the drug cartel turf battles and extortion of avocado growers in the western state of Michoacan, the only state in Mexico fully authorized to export to the U.S. market.

The U.S. government suspended all imports of Mexican avocados “until further notice” after a U.S. plant safety inspector in Mexico received a threatening message, Mexico’s Agriculture Department said in a statement.

Read more: https://fox5sandiego.com/news/business/us-suspends-mexican-avocado-imports-prior-to-super-bowl/

[TygrBright]

1. Americans eat avocados for/at the Super Bowl?

I'm way outta touch. I thought chips and beer and wings and meatballs were the biggies.

Avocados.

Huh.

bewilderedly,
Bright

[intrepidity]

2. Guacamole? nt

[C Moon]

5. And now I want some guac.

[Gilbert Moore]

6. More avocado

sold this weekend than any time

[IronLionZion]

7. Since avocado is considered a more nutritious option

plenty of snacks involve avocados these days, which may have been promoted by the avocado industry.

[Lulu KC]

3. Because I love monarch butterflies...AND avocados!

Eating them has been a conflict, based on what I thought I knew about avocado farms replacing the habitat needed by monarchs when they are in Mexico. However, in prepping to type this up I did a Google search to see if there was new info. Yes, I think there is, if this is a reliable source. https://warwickonline.com/stories/how-the-mexican-avocado-industry-is-helping-save-the-monarch-butterflies,162701?

Apart from that, this is a multi-layered story! I had no idea drug cartels had become involved in this industry. Really interesting. Thanks for posting this.

[Auggie]

4. So buy California avocados! Duh!

[7wo7rees]

10. Oh super.

Out of all the groves that are drying up and being mowed down. Right?

[Auggie]

13. Yep. Help the farmers who still farm avocados.

[NickB79]

15. Large parts of California farmland are past saving from climate change

Eventually the wells will run dry, no matter how deep you drill.

And growing water-intense species like avocadoes speeds that process up.

A smart solution would be to seed with native grasses that use little water and return to ranching.

[Auggie]

16. Are you advocating not growing any avocados in California?

[NickB79]

17. Not if they need irrigation using fossil water

The Southwest US is currently in a mega drought, the worst in at least 1200 years. Climate models all point to this being the long-term future.

Deep aquifers are being drained in areas like the Central Valley so rapidly, the ground is sinking. In the next 10-20 years, many will run dry, permanently.

We need to use what water resources we have left and prepare for a future where water is the new oil, planting species that can survive in the new climate we've created without supplemental water. The same applies to the Great Plains regions currently dependant on the Ogallalla Aquifer that we're deleting at an equally alarming pace.

The alternative is a new Dust Bowl when the water runs out and we aren't prepared.

[Auggie]

18. Golly, I guess that puts the kibosh on a lot of California crops

Can't ban just avocados when other citrus fruits like grapefruit, lemons, oranges, dates, and olives hog water too.

Almonds and pistachios (we already knew this)

Plus tree fruits like applies, apricots, walnuts, cherries, peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, prunes, figs.

And cover crops, like clover, alfalfa and rye. Those use a lot of water.

Why, even onions, garlic, potatoes and WINE GRAPES have got to go.

Congratulations! BILLIONS of California ag dollars and millions of jobs have just been eliminated.

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/specialsections/these-are-the-california-crops-that-use-the-most-water/

Sarcasm aside, the answer is in increased conservation, more reservoir capacity, desalination (as the technology becomes more affordable) and price supports so small family farmers don't have to plant cash crops just to survive. And tax the shit out of mega-farmers like the Resnicks, billionaire owners of The Wonderful Company (almonds and pistachios), for growing water hogging crops and to pay for infrastructure improvements.

[Lulu KC]

14. I can't find them

I have been looking and looking since I learned of the monarch groves--they are not abundant, at least in the Midwest.

[durablend]

8. Ho boy

Supposedly there was to be an ad campaign for avocados (from Mexico) run during the Super Bowl. Guess that kind of puts the kibosh on that, doesn't it?

[OnlinePoker]

9. The last avocados we bought here in Victoria, BC were from California

They weren't Haas, though but a smaller, shiny variety.

[Paladin]

11. Just saw the Mexican Avocados ad a few minutes ago, on the Super Bowl. (nt)

[Polybius]

12. Love the Lidl ad