Proposed Lifting of Mexican Avocado Ban

Your story “Avocados Go Home” (Aug. 14) accurately reflects our deep concern that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is about to unleash a potential pest infestation of major proportion if it lifts the ban blocking the import of fresh Mexican avocados.

Early in the story, however, and threading through it is the implication that opposition by U.S. avocado growers is based primarily on economic impact and the desire to keep competition out.

While the specter of massive numbers of Mexican avocados dumped on the U.S. market is not what we would wish, California’s 6,000 avocado growers and the 21,000 employees they represent are willing to face competition from any source.

In fact, Chile exports into the United States about 35 million avocados annually. Currently, Mexico exports into the United States 20 million pounds of processed avocado products. We have opposed neither of these trade activities. Nor would we be mounting a major campaign against this USDA proposed rule if it was not based on bad science and a complex and virtually unenforceable set of rules that will ultimately lead to pest infestation of our orchards.

Simply put, if the USDA allows the importation of fresh Mexican avocados without scientifically sound research and truly enforceable safeguards, U.S. avocado growers stand to lose more than a few cents on each avocado. They could lose everything. The single solution to infestation from a number of pests that could ride into the country on Mexican avocados is to burn our trees and close our business.

CHARLEY WOLK

Board Chairman

California Avocado Commission

Santa Ana