Michoacan, Mexico.- One week after the United States (US) Government suspended imports of Mexican avocado, cutters of this fruit are “bottling” to maintain the livelihood of their families.
On roads in the municipality of Uruapan, they raise banners identifying themselves as affected by this decision of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that came into force on June 15 due to attacks on two inspectors held in the community of Aranza. , Michoacan.
“Unemployed avocado cutters”, “We ask for voluntary cooperation since we have days without work”, “We are unemployed”, it reads.
Faced with the uncertainty of their jobs, they wave jars and cans at motorists to offer them a few coins to survive, stating that in the avocado-producing area, there are nearly 15,000 cutters who have been harmed.
“A little cooperation, help us or give us a job,” they tell passersby and drivers.
And, according to the workers, the salary and benefits are not fixed and they live from day to day.
Since this weekend, they said, companies have told them not to show up to work until further notice, which has left them without income of at least 300 pesos a day and their social security has been cancelled.
Although the United States reported that its inspectors will gradually return to the packing plants, they called on Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to take action, and thus guarantee security, jobs and investment and that this situation does not return. to repeat itself.
It is not the first time that the neighboring country suspends imports due to incidents in Michoacán. In February 2022, he did so after a USDA inspector reported that he was threatened.
Of Mexican avocado production in 2023, 1.4 million tons – practically half – were destined for export, mainly to the United States, where 81 percent of Mexican sales of this crop are recorded, while Canada, Japan and Spain are other of the main buyers.
#Avocado #trees #thrown #shipments #stop