SANTA ANA ZIROSTO, Mexico, Aug 16 – Mexican avocado workers have returned to orchards and packing plants after the United States lifted a security-related suspension that had temporarily halted avocado exports from Michoacán, bringing relief to thousands of workers and producers whose incomes depend heavily on the trade. But while the reopening has restored daily wages and revived shipments, concerns about extortion, robberies and threats from criminal groups remain deeply rooted across the region.
For Francisco Isidro, a 39-year-old avocado picker with about 20 years of experience, the return to work came almost immediately after the restrictions were lifted. The morning after the announcement, he climbed roughly 20 feet up an avocado tree in an orchard in Santa Ana Zirosto, threw a rope over a branch and began cutting fruit destined for the United States.
Within about 15 minutes, he had filled a box.
“Thank God … and now we’re getting paid!” Isidro called out, reflecting the relief felt by workers who had spent several days without their usual income.
The suspension had disrupted an industry that employs about 200,000 people in Michoacán. Orchards stopped harvesting, packing facilities closed or operated under restrictions, and shipments were delayed while Mexican authorities increased security in the avocado-producing region.
Michoacán is Mexico’s largest avocado-producing state and a major supplier to the U.S. market. Several criminal organizations operate in the state, earning money through drug trafficking as well as extortion and other illicit activities. The U.S. government has designated four cartels operating in Mexico as terrorist organizations.
With the security alert lifted, activity quickly returned. Orchards began harvesting again, packing plants resumed operations and inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture returned to certify shipments and check that the fruit met plant health requirements.
For workers paid by the day, the restart meant more than the recovery of an international trade route. It meant getting their household income back.
Security Concerns Disrupt a Major Agricultural Industry
The U.S. security alert arrived without much explanation for many workers and producers. Isidro was working high in an orchard when his foreman suddenly ordered the harvesting to stop. With no information about how long the suspension would last, workers faced the prospect of searching for temporary employment or depending on other family income.
Farther away in Tacámbaro, an engineer at an avocado packing facility received instructions during the early morning hours to keep the plant sealed and under quarantine.
The uncertainty spread throughout the industry.
Michoacán’s avocado producers operate in an environment where criminal groups can exert influence over agricultural businesses and transportation routes. For some growers, extortion has become an expense that is effectively incorporated into the cost of production.
One producer recently told journalists that he pays one peso per kilogram of exported avocados in extortion fees. With exports of around 90 metric tons a day, such payments can amount to more than $5,000 daily.
The problem extends beyond farms. Trucks carrying avocados have been robbed on roads in western Michoacán, while farmworkers have reported encounters with armed men. One worker, who spoke anonymously because of concerns about retaliation, said some laborers had been stopped and beaten near the border with Jalisco without being given an explanation.
The scale of the legitimate trade makes the disruption particularly significant. In March, Mexico shipped nearly 4,800 tons of avocados a day to the United States, with the majority of Mexican avocado production ultimately sold to American consumers.
Valentín Rodríguez, an experienced avocado producer and businessman, said the latest security measures could provide some temporary relief, although he remained cautious about what would happen after the additional troops leave or criminal groups adapt to the new security presence.
“We’ll be safe for a while, we’ll see what happens next,” Rodríguez said.
The Mexican government has deployed more than 1,500 soldiers to protect the avocado-producing region. Authorities have also announced arrests involving people allegedly connected to extortion.
For residents in communities such as Santa Ana Zirosto, the military presence provides some reassurance, although it also creates concerns that confrontations between security forces and criminal groups could increase.
US Market Holds the Key to Mexican Avocado Exports
The relationship between Mexican avocado producers and the U.S. market has become so important that a decision by American authorities can quickly affect workers thousands of miles away from consumers.
U.S. inspectors play a critical role in the export process. Their work includes checking fruit and certifying shipments before they enter the United States. In previous incidents, U.S. inspectors have been assaulted or temporarily detained in Mexico, resulting in export suspensions.
A U.S. official familiar with the inspection system said some threats have occurred after inspectors identified pests and faced pressure not to report their findings. The U.S. Embassy has generally avoided publicly discussing specific security incidents involving inspectors.
The inspections are now concentrated more heavily at packing facilities rather than isolated orchards in areas where criminal groups can operate with limited interference.
Rodríguez said the arrangement leaves Mexican producers highly dependent on decisions made by the U.S. government.
“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,” he said. “We are at the mercy of whatever the U.S. market and government decide to do with the industry.”
The dependence has historical roots. Mexico was largely excluded from the U.S. avocado market for decades after a worm was discovered in an avocado pit in 1914. The restriction was eventually lifted in 1997, as American production was unable to keep pace with rising consumer demand.
Today, Mexican avocados have become a familiar part of the U.S. food market, particularly during periods of heavy demand for guacamole. Thousands of tons cross the border, with shipments increasing around major events such as the Super Bowl.
That trade depends on a tightly controlled chain. Workers such as Isidro must follow procedures for disinfecting cutting tools, handling fruit carefully and reporting damaged or diseased produce. Certified orchards are expected to provide basic facilities for workers, while supervisors examine harvested fruit before it is transported.
Once boxes are loaded, trucks can travel in convoys accompanied by police patrols because of the risk of robbery. At packing plants, workers and inspectors continue checking the fruit for quality and pests. Mechanical systems sort the avocados by size before they are packed, labeled and sealed for shipment.
The final trailers then begin the journey toward the U.S. border. Any new security warning can potentially stop that process at multiple points.
Growers Welcome the Restart but Remain Wary
For many producers, the latest reopening is welcome but does not remove the underlying dangers.
Luis Manuel Soto, a 36-year-old grower and packer from western Michoacán, said he hopes the increased security will eventually make conditions safer. But he said he has yet to see a major improvement in his personal circumstances.
Soto said armed men pulled him from his vehicle in 2024 and threatened to kill him unless he paid them and withdrew a complaint involving extortion and an alleged attempt to take control of his orchards. The threats resurfaced in July, even though one person connected to the earlier case had already been convicted.
According to Soto, he later found a funeral cross accompanied by a written threat warning that he had only days left. He said threatening phone calls have continued.
He now limits his visits to his orchards, manages some of his business and community activities remotely and makes regular trips to prosecutors’ offices seeking protection.
His experience illustrates why the return of avocado exports cannot be measured only by the number of trucks moving toward the U.S. border. For growers and workers, the larger question is whether the security improvements can last.
In Santa Ana Zirosto and nearby communities, people have welcomed the presence of additional soldiers while remaining conscious of the potential risks.
“It gives us some peace, but it also scares us a little because it could lead to confrontations with some of the groups,” said Jesús Méndez, an avocado supervisor.
For Isidro and other daily workers, however, the immediate priority is simpler. The trees are being harvested again, packing plants are operating and wages have returned.
The resumption of exports has restored a vital source of income, but the circumstances surrounding the shutdown have reminded the industry how vulnerable it remains. As long as criminal groups continue to threaten producers, workers and transportation routes, the future of Mexico’s lucrative avocado trade will depend not only on market demand and agricultural inspections, but also on whether authorities can provide lasting security in the communities where the fruit is grown.