Trump Administration Proposes 32% Avocado Import Curbs as California Growers Cite Cartel-Linked Pressure
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 17
Trump Administration Proposes 32% Avocado Import Curbs as California Growers Cite Cartel-Linked Pressure
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 17
Summary
A seasonal tariff-rate quota on Mexican avocados would let a set volume enter duty-free, then impose higher tariffs during California’s March-October harvest to shield roughly 3,000 state growers.
Mexican shipments to the U.S. jumped 32% from January to mid-July versus the same 2025 period, a surge the proposal says depressed prices and threatened small multigenerational farms.
Michoacán, source of most Mexican avocados sent to the U.S., is also central to the security case: Treasury has documented cartel extortion there, and the U.S. Embassy suspended government activities in the state on Aug. 5 before resuming them Aug. 13.
The proposal also calls for USDA inspector protections and says imports should be suspended if Mexico cannot provide enough security for orchard checks, tying trade relief to food-safety oversight and the ongoing USMCA review.