The U.S. halted the import of avocados from Mexico on the eve of the Super Bowl because of threats made to an American official who inspects the produce before it’s shipped north, according to Mexican authorities.
The threat came via a cell phone call, but its substance was not disclosed. Local media speculated that it came from one of the Mexican drug cartels that functions in Michoacan, currently the only area permitted to export avocados to the U.S. Those gangs have previously warned U.S. inspectors stationed south of the border that their decisions on pending shipments to the U.S. could put them in danger. The reasons for those warnings remain unclear.
Restaurants that use Mexican avocados had likely received the supplies needed to provide as much guacamole as they expected to serve on Super Bowl Sunday, a high volume day for the popular dip. The U.S. has imported 135,000 pounds of avocados during the last six weeks, according to Mexican agricultural officials, because of the expected surge in demand.
It remains to be seen if the halt puts a crimp in supplies in the days or weeks ahead. Mexico’s Agriculture Department said in a statement that U.S. officials are evaluating the threat and determining how to protect U.S. Department of Agriculture personnel south of the border. Their conclusions will determine how long the stay on imports will last.
"We are working closely with our suppliers to navigate through this challenge," Jack Hartung, CFO of Chipotle, said in a statement. "Our sourcing partners currently have several weeks of inventory available, so we’ll continue to closely monitor the situation and adjust our plans accordingly.
Personnel from the U.S. department are stationed in Mexico’s growing and processing centers to spot any food safety or agricultural issues such as pests before the avocados reach the U.S.
The disruption of shipments comes as many operators were reporting difficulties in obtaining enough chicken wings, another standard Super Bowl treat, at a reasonable price. The supply chain in general has been severely disrupted by the pandemic, with a variety of predictions as to when the problem will ease.
Updated: This version of the story contains a statement from Chipotle on its avocado inventory.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.