Subject: Re: Mexican Avocado Alert

From: [email-masked] (Beej)
Date: Wed, 06 Sep 1995 20:06:03 -0700

Anyone who purchases avocados and/or guacamole in the US will appreciate
it when our politically founded quarantine on the Mexican grown avocados
is lifted. During the ten years living on the US Mexican border, I got so
frustrated going to the US side grocery stores and having to pay $1.00 or
more for a measly little avocado, and two miles away in the Gigante market
it was $1.00 for three kilos of lovely fat delicious Mexican
avocados....Next time you pay $4.00 for a half a cup of powdered
guacamole, you can thank the California avocado growers! 

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Dan
Gerawan) wrote:

> >On July 3, 1995 the USDA published a proposal in the Federal Register
to amend
> >the long-standing quarantine that prohibits the movement of fresh Mexican
> >avocados into the U.S.
> >
> >This proposal would allow Mexican avocados into the U.S. under certain
> >conditions, and it MUST BE CHALLENGED.
> >
> >Mexican Pressure Since 1985
> >The Mexican industry, with significant help from the Mexican government has
> >sought persistently ,since the mid 1980's to convince our government and USDA
> >to lift the long-standing quarantine which prohibits the movement of fresh
> >Mexican avocados in the U.S.  These efforts were continually rejected by USDA
> >which held firmly to its official position policy at this time revolved
around
> >Exclusion-keeping pests out at all costs.
> 
> As a grower of California peaches, I endure the wrath of Mexico's
> anger against our country's restrictions on their avacados. From
> what I know about the situation, I'm not so sure that US avacodo
> growers are as concerned with Mexico's pests as they are with
> keeping US market to themselves. Meanwhile, Mexico retailiates by
> restricting my peaches. 
> 
> Mexico tells our peach-growing industry that their restrictions are
> based on sound science; but we know that's not true and so do they. 
> However, US avocado growers tell Mexico that US restrictions against
> their avacodos are based on sound science. I suspect that in that
> case as well, both parties know it's not true.

---

From: [email-masked] (Stephan C. Barr)
Date: 11 Sep 1995 22:22:30 GMT

>guacamole, you can thank the California avocado growers! 

Actually, it's worse than you think.  Avocado ripoffs are not uncommon
here in southern Santa Barbara county, one could fit $1000 worth of 
avocados in a car trunk.  So now it's common to see avocado orchards
surrounded by barbed-wire topped chainlink fence, with guards roaming
around at night.  All costs are, naturally, passed onto the consumer.
All this because the growers are afraid of free markets.

Steve.
--
--
+--- Stephan C. Barr : [email-masked] ---+
No good system tries to spread itself.  -- Rolling Thunder

---

From: [email-masked] (John & Lisa Grasser )
Date: 18 Sep 1995 15:42:34 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Stephan C. Barr)
>All this because the growers are afraid of free markets.

Do you guys dismiss the impact of the Mexican pest on California's
avocado industry, if Mexican fruit is allowed to be imported?  (and I
mean a *real* Mexican pest, not just the pest of free trade!:-) )  You
may know more than I do about this;  I haven't read anything scientific
on it.  

I *can* tell you, as a family member of an avocado grower, that it is
not an easy form of ag to be involved in.  Profit margins to the grower
are *extremely* low due to high water prices here in San Diego County. 
Sales of fruit barely cover expenses (can be one penny a pound) if at
all.  This explains why so many groves are left to die after having the
water shut off.  Perhaps the packers are getting rich;  can't say.  My
experience with packers, tho, is that there is very little margin in
this business as well.  Given the beating that San Diego County growers
are taking from the water authorities, I can't blame them for being
sensitive to warnings that a Mexican bug could wipe them out
completely.  

Perhaps it is time for economic/market forces to end the avocado
industry in SD County.  But don't expect people to go out without a
fight, especially farmers.

--Lisa Grasser
  Vista, Ca
  Ag business major