The department's inspectors have been in the key Mexican production region of Michoacan testing fruit for export to non-avocado producing states of the US for five years and no shipments have been denied on the phytosanitary grounds in that time.
But California producers still fear the Mexican product may be contaminated with fruit fly ñ the grounds for the ban in the 1920s. However, Mexican growers denounce this as protectionist claiming their Californian counterparts are just worried about losing market share as prices for the fruit would almost certainly drop in the US as Mexicans can grow the product far more cheaply.
The US plant health service (Aphis) of the department of agriculture opened its proposed change of import rules to consultation. The consultation period closed on August 15 and the results are still awaited.
Aphis is proposing to extend imports of Hass from Michoacan to all parts of the US throughout the year. Existing rules permit imports between October 15 and April 15 into 31 states that do not produce or border on states that produce avocados.
Mexico exports about eight percent of its production, with about half of it coming to the US. Both countries are signatories to the North American Free Trade Agreement.
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