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A group of California Republicans is calling on the Trump administration to stop a “dangerous surge” in Mexican avocado imports, warning that the cartel’s influence on the Mexican avocado trade threatens US farmers.
In a letter Monday to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, seven members of California’s Republican congressional delegation called for “reasonable and feasible” limits on the sudden increase in avocado imports as part of negotiations on the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The letter was signed by Reps. James Gallagher, Jay Obernolte, Ken Calvert, Young Kim, David Valadao, Darrell Issa and Vince Fong.
“As a Republican member of California’s congressional delegation, we urge you to include a provision in the USMCA seasonal produce solution that will help prevent a dangerous surge of Mexican avocados in the US market, likely fueled by Mexican cartels,” the lawmakers wrote.
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In a letter Monday to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, seven members of California’s Republican congressional delegation called for “reasonable and feasible” limits on the sudden surge in avocado imports. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“This growing surge is collapsing US avocado prices and putting the future of American avocado production at risk,” the lawmakers added.
He said Mexican criminal organizations have “considerable influence” in the avocado supply chain by extorting farmers, profiting from avocados grown on “illegally acquired land,” interfering with U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections and controlling transportation routes.
Lawmakers also cited Mexico’s military deployment to avocado-producing areas as evidence of “the extent of the cartel’s influence.”
“These criminal organizations do not operate with the same costs or constraints as legitimate American growers. Extortion, illegal land use, compromised inspections, and cartel control over transportation allow large amounts of fruit to enter the United States under conditions that do not reflect legitimate production costs or normal market forces,” the letter states.
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The lawmaker said Mexican criminal organizations have “considerable influence” in the avocado supply chain. (Alfredo Estrella/AFP via Getty Images)
According to the letter, a surge in imports during the critical period of California’s 2025 and 2026 growing seasons is driving up prices for US producers.
The U.S. will import an estimated 2.87 billion pounds of fresh avocados by 2025, with Mexico accounting for 83% of that volume, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“American avocado farmers cannot compete in a market shaped by criminal organizations that profit regardless of the price paid to legitimate producers,” the lawmakers wrote.
Lawmakers said they were not seeking to block Mexican avocados, but wanted restrictions designed to prevent a sudden surge in imports that “overwhelmed the domestic market.”
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Lawmakers said they were not seeking to block Mexican avocados, but wanted restrictions designed to prevent a sudden surge in imports that “overwhelmed the domestic market.” (Alfredo Estrella/AFP via Getty Images)
“This protection will preserve widespread access to Mexican avocados while giving American growers a fair chance to sell the fruit during the limited production season,” the letter said.
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FOX Business reached out to Greer and the Mexican Embassy for comment.