Experts see avocado price rise, damage to Mexican producers

By MARK STEVENSON
Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Experts say you may be paying more for your avocado toast in the short term, and distributors may be looking beyond Mexico to guard against future supply disruptions. Mexico is negotiating security guarantees for U.S. inspectors who certify avocados for export in western Mexico, where avocado pickers have been thrown out of work. The inspections were halted last week after one of the U.S. inspectors was threatened. While avocados that were already inspected can still be shipped north, there are signs Thursday that supplies will tighten, and companies that import avocados may have to look beyond Mexico, which currently supplies about 80% of U.S. imports of the fruit.