California Growers Repeat Call for New USMCA Measures to Curb Surging Mexican Avocados Amid Escalating Security Threats

Fullerton, Calif. — The California Avocado Commission renewed its call for a seasonal tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on Mexican avocados following the U.S. State Department’s suspension of government activities in Michoacán because of a threat to American interests. The State Department also reiterated its Level 4 “Do Not Travel” designation for the region. In addition, Mexico recently reported a suspected regulated pest at an avocado packinghouse.

Michoacán is Mexico’s leading avocado-exporting state and the source of most Mexican avocados shipped to the United States.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has described extortion as “particularly rampant” in Michoacán agriculture, stating that cartels routinely extort Mexican farmers, packers and others involved in the production of commodities, including avocados. Security threats have repeatedly interrupted U.S. inspections and reduced orchard oversight.

“The Trump administration is right to protect American personnel and confront the cartels,” said California Avocado Commission President Ken Melban. “The Office of the United States Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are highly skilled, fully informed and well positioned to act. Consistent with the administration’s America First, anti-cartel and Make America Healthy Again agenda, cartels cannot be allowed to exploit the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to undercut American growers and destroy domestic production.”

On Aug. 4, 2026, it was reported that a packinghouse inspection in Mexico detected a larva suspected to be a regulated pest. Although the specimen could not be collected or positively identified, officials believe it may have been the avocado branch borer (Macrocopturus aguacatae). The discovery renewed the California Avocado Commission’s call for stronger monitoring and enhanced pre-shipment inspections of avocado imports from Mexico.

Mexican avocado exports to the United States surged 35% during the first four months of 2026. According to the Commission, the increase is intensifying price pressure during California’s harvest season and underscores the need for a seasonal TRQ as part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement review.

Under the proposal:

• A defined volume of Mexican avocados would enter the United States at the standard tariff rate during the March through September harvest season.
• Additional shipments above that volume would be subject to a higher tariff.
• The TRQ would complement restored U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections while helping preserve domestic avocado production.

“Our growers have no hope of surviving when the ordinary rules of the market are replaced by the Wild Wild West,” Melban said. “This is the moment for a seasonal tariff-rate quota on Mexican avocados and the full reinstatement of rigorous U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections before any Mexican avocados are permitted to enter the U.S. market. Business as usual with Mexico must end.”

To learn more about the California Avocado Commission’s call for a seasonal tariff-rate quota, visit here.