The U.S. has suspended avocado imports from Mexico after a U.S. official was threatened in February.

The United States has recently suspended avocado imports from Mexico’s western state of Michoacan after a U.S. official received a threat. Michoacan is the only state in Mexico authorized to export avocados to the United States. The officer, who was carrying out inspection work in Uruapan, Michoacan, received a threatening call to his official cell phone.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS-USDA) reported that an investigation is currently underway to assess the threat and determine the necessary measures to guarantee the physical integrity of all of its personnel working in Michoacan.

The Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) are actively participating in coordination with the authorities of both countries to resolve the problem in order to reinforce internal practices and processes that guarantee the traceability of the fruit. This incident has already affected the economy of the program and affected the industry and more than 300,000 jobs that depend on it.

In the past six weeks, Michoacan avocado producers have exported more than 135,000 tons of avocados to the United States, the Agriculture Ministry said. Michoacan’s geographic position close to the Pacific Ocean has made it a turf war between criminal organizations that fight for territory and the profits from other industries such as the avocados.

Officials are working on solving this problem so that we can get our avocados back.