News in Brief:
– Illegal avocado orchards in Michoacan, Mexico, threaten the sustainability of its avocado trade with the United States.
– Proposed solutions include implementing stricter export protocols and emphasising environmental accountability to ensure the trade’s sustainability and legality.
Michoacan, Mexico’s avocado heartland, faces an environmental and legal crisis impacting the international avocado market. The United States ambassador to Mexico highlights the urgent need to tackle the issue of avocados grown in illegal orchards being exported to his country. These operations, he added, contribute to significant deforestation and water extraction, posing a threat to the region’s biodiversity and sustainability.
During a joint news conference, Ambassador Ken Salazar told the press that there is an urgent need to prevent avocados from illegal plots from entering the US market.
The governor of Michoacan, Alfredo Ramirez, also revealed alarming statistics, with 30,000 hectares deforested and 817 illegal avocado orchards identified between 2018 and 2023.
A revised export protocol incorporating environmental guidelines aims to trace avocados from origin to US consumers, ensuring compliance with standards. This initiative, influenced by Michoacan’s Forest Guardian program, seeks to address environmental concerns linked to avocado farming.
Beyond Mexico, other countries in Latin America engaged in avocado trade face similar challenges. Deforestation, water mismanagement, and biodiversity loss are common issues across the region, prompting a broader movement towards sustainable practices.
Sustainability and legality must be prioritised in agricultural and trade policies, Salazar emphasised. By implementing stringent export protocols, both nations can support economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and ethical consumption in the avocado trade.
