The United States on Friday dropped a ban on imports of avocados from the Mexico state of Michoacan and restarted an agricultural inspection programit had halted out of concern for the safety of U.S. workers.

In its announcement, the U.S. Agriculture Department said imports could resume immediately.

The United States had paused its inspection program on Feb. 11 after employees were verbally threatened.

The USDA said it worked with Mexico’s government and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico to enact “additional measures” to safeguard the safety of its inspectors.

Mexican President Andres Manual Lopez Obrador said at a regular news conference earlier on Friday that a resolution could come by the end of the day.

The United States imported $2.8 billion in avocados from Mexico in 2021, according to the USDA.

Michoacan, Mexico’s top avocado producing state and the only one currently approved to export to the United States, has long had security issues linked to problems with drug gangs.

Reuters

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