DALLAS, Aug. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Mexican avocado industry is celebrating the first delivery of fresh avocados to cross the border from the Mexican state of Jalisco to the United States. The agreement was first announced in 2021 by Mexican authorities with the United States to allow avocado imports from the additional Mexican state.
Jalisco now joins the state of Michoacán, supplying fresh and high-quality avocados to meet the growing demand in the United States. Michoacán exports billions of pounds of avocados to the United States each year1. The region of Michoacán meets the ideal conditions to produce and harvest the freshest avocados all year round, with its rich volcanic soil, natural irrigation and unique topography. Now, combined with Jalisco’s summer harvest, the opportunity for high-quality Mexican avocados to reach the table of American consumers will be even stronger.
“Our expansion into the Jalisco region will strengthen our grower base and allow us to increase our import numbers, furthering our mission to provide consumers with the freshest avocados year-round,” said Ron Campbell, Executive Director at the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association.
In fact, the demand for avocados has grown dramatically over the past twenty years. In the past 7 years alone, US consumption of Avocados From Mexico, the number one selling avocado brand in the US, has doubled – now at over 8 pounds per capita per year2. In 2021, the US imported $3.0 billion worth of avocados, with $2.8 billion coming from Mexico (92%) – that’s up from 1.2 million tons of avocados coming from Mexico just last year. And since 1997 when Mexico first exported, production has grown, and the supply of Mexican avocados in the United States has reached more than 2 billion pounds.3
“This first export of avocados from Jalisco will only enhance the already positive economic benefits of avocado imports from Mexico,” said Campbell. As Mexican avocado imports move through the food chain, they contribute $6.5 billion in economic output and $4 billion in GDP to the U.S. economy.4 “In fact, because Avocados From Mexico tapped into American consumer culinary trends, it boosted avocado consumption. over 600%, an impressive 10% average annual growth rate4 and we expect it to only increase.”
The Association of Avocado Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM A.C.), the only cooperative partner to export avocados to the United States, will now work closely with Jalisco to deliver even more avocados to the United States. This new agreement will allow the import of fresh ones. Hass avocados from Mexico will expand and operate under the Cooperative Service Agreement between the USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and APEAM. The new agreement integrates 695 orchards, 9,441 hectares, 11 packinghouses and 10 municipalities in Jalisco.
Unmatched Commitment to Quality, Sustainability, Safety and Traceability in the Supply Chain
Avocados imported from Jalisco will adhere to the same standards to provide consumers in the United States with the high-quality avocados they know and expect from Mexico. In fact, the industry exceeds standards to ensure that each avocado meets consumer expectations for taste and consistency.
And, with a strong commitment to sustainable practices, the avocado industry, its members, and its success depend on the preservation of the natural environment, soil, forests and water, as well as the economic security of its fundamental communities in Mexico.
APEAM’s close partnership with the USDA ensures that all avocado growers and packers in Mexico comply with the strictest phytosanitary rules and regulations. Together with the USDA, APEAM ensures that all growers and packers adhere to good agricultural practices (GAP) and the highest quality and food safety standards. Through every step of the supply chain, the industry implements rigorous guidelines, and these standards begin at the orchards. To confirm that phytosanitary requirements are implemented throughout the orchards and packinghouses, nearly 90 USDA regulatory officers and 12 administrative staff systematically conduct a series of inspections. All export-certified orchards and packinghouses require these inspections before they can be harvested and exported to the United States. The USDA’s partnership with APEAM is the backbone of the avocado industry in Mexico – their attention to phytosanitary standards, food safety and the industry’s commitment to traceability. and quality is a strong indication of the close cooperation between the two nations and ensures an abundant supply of avocados all year round.
For more information on the journey of avocados from Mexico to the United States, visit www.AvocadoInstitute.org.
About avocados from Mexico
