There are 11,162ha of avocado production in the state of Jalisco that have been certified by the federal government as being free from screwworm, providing firm evidence that the state is pest-free, according to the regional authorities.
As a result, Héctor Padilla of the Rural Development Ministry of Jalisco said he was confident that the state would soon receive the all clear by the US Department of Agriculture to carry out direct exports to the US market.
He said is producers were given authorisation to ship direct from Jalisco they would not be tempted to send their fruit to packers in Michoacán, which was in any case a violation of the rules.
“We are doing all we can to obtain authorisation for direct shipments from Jalisco. For anyone tempted to take their avocados from Jalisco to Michoacán and then export them to the US, this would be an infringement of the law and of established trade agreements – it’s as simple as that,” Padilla said.
Praising Jalisco’s “highly dynamic” avocado industry, he said output would continue to grow thanks to investment in new production, fuelling a rise in exports to authorised markets including Canada and various Asian countries.
The state’s avocado production has risen from 40,800 tonnes in 2012 to 100,200 tonnes in 2014, with an export value of US$82m.
