Clamour for avocados on Trump’s threat to shut Mexican border
Prices have increased nearly 50% over the past week, and analyst says even very vague threats are enough to scare wholesalers and processors
Mexico City — US President Donald Trump’s threats to shut the border with Mexico are now affecting what some might argue is the softest spot in bilateral relations: avocados. Fearing that a border lockdown would prevent Mexico from shipping the 80% of avocados that the US consumes, processors and wholesalers have started stockpiling the prized fruit used in guacamole or as a spread on toast. Avocado prices have jumped nearly 50% over the last week alone as a consequence. Stefan Oliva, a research analyst at Gro Intelligence, which collects and analyses agricultural data, said “procurement managers, wholesalers and processors” are “clamouring” for avocados in case the border is shut ahead of the Cinco de Mayo celebration. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla in which Mexican troops defeated invading French forces and is celebrated all over the US. The US imported nearly $2.1bn worth of avocados from Mexico in 2018, or more than 900,000 tons, he said. That is 10 times t...
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