The final remaining United States-imposed barriers to Mexican avocado imports have been removed. Mexican officials hailed the action as an economic boost that might slow the migration of workers to the United States.
In 1914, US officials prohibited imports of Mexican avocados, citing infestation of the produce by agricultural pests.
Avocados from the Mexican state of Michoacan were allowed to be imported to 13 US states in 1997, and other barriers were eased over the next decade. By the end of 2005, importation of Mexican avocados was permitted in every US state except Florida, California, and Hawaii. Restrictions in those states were removed February 2.
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