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Trade corridor · Hass avocados

Hass avocados from Mexico to the United States: program rules, sizes and what to put in an RFQ

Sources reviewed: · SeedMatch Group editorial team

Short answer

Mexican Hass avocados enter the US under the USDA APHIS import program (7 CFR 319.56-30). As of March 2026, USDA reports that two states are approved, Michoacán and Jalisco. Fruit must come from orchards certified by Mexico's SENASICA and be inspected by APHIS at packhouses before export. Overlapping flowering seasons give year-round supply.

  • Mexico exported 1.22 million tonnes of avocados in 2025, 1.08 million of them to the US (USDA FAS, March 2026).
  • Orchard certification moved to SENASICA in September 2024; APHIS keeps documentary oversight and packhouse inspection.
  • US-bound fruit must meet at least 21% dry matter in the sample (APEAM, June 2025).
  • Inspections have been paused for security reasons before; after the latest pause (August 2026), the US Embassy announced US government activities in Michoacán fully resumed on 13 August; confirm current inspection status with USDA APHIS before contracting.

Market research, not SeedMatch inventory: this page summarises public, dated sources. SeedMatch Group does not hold avocado stock; supply is sourced only after a buyer's request is reviewed.

What is confirmed and what to check before shipping

ItemStatusWhat the sources show
Program and legal basisConfirmedAPHIS final rule of 27 May 2016 (7 CFR 319.56-30): orchard certification, traceback labelling, pre-harvest surveys, packhouse inspection and port clearance.
Approved statesConfirmedMichoacán and Jalisco, per USDA FAS Avocado Annual, 12 March 2026.
Who certifies and inspectsConfirmedSENASICA certifies orchards (from September 2024); APHIS inspects at packing facilities, per USDA FAS March 2026.
Operations after the August 2026 haltTo confirmThe US Embassy in Mexico announced the full resumption of US government activities in Michoacán from 13 August 2026, and UPI reported avocado shipments resuming the same day. An APHIS statement naming avocado inspections, or covering Jalisco, was not found.
Size 32 and 4 kg packs for MexicoUnknownConfirm with the packer; the US reference chart covers counts 36–84 per 25 lb lug.

At a glance

Product
Fresh Hass avocados
Origin states
Michoacán and Jalisco, certified orchards only
Authorities
SENASICA (Mexico) and USDA APHIS (US); APEAM is the producers' and packers' association, not the regulator
Season
All year, from four overlapping flowering cycles (Loca, Avanzada, Normal, Marceña)
Volume reference
1.08 million tonnes to the US in 2025 (USDA FAS)
Maturity
Minimum 21% dry matter in the sample; APEAM field target averages 23%

Seasonality

Shipping windowPeak stated by a sourceYear-round supply from Mexico

Mexico's four flowering flushes overlap, so certified orchards supply the US throughout the year. USDA's 2026 report does not give a single export peak month.

For year-round US programmes, buyers often combine Mexico with other origins; check each origin's own US access before adding it.

Sizes and quality

  • US sizes are fruit counts per 25 lb (about 11.3 kg) two-layer lug: 36, 40, 48, 60, 70 and 84 on the California Avocado Commission chart. Counts describe size, not grade.
  • Dry matter: at least 21% in the sample for US-bound fruit; APEAM's field procedure targets a 23% sample average.
  • Specify count range, tolerance, external defects and dry matter in the contract.

Packaging

  • 25 lb (11.3 kg) two-layer lugs are the US reference format.
  • Traceback labelling is part of the APHIS program; ask for the label layout before the first shipment.

Cold chain and ripening

  • UC Davis gives 5–13 °C for mature-green avocados depending on cultivar and storage time, 2–4 °C for ripe fruit, and 90–95% relative humidity.
  • Ripening: 100 ppm ethylene at 20 °C for 12–48 hours, depending on season (UC Davis).
  • Agree temperature, atmosphere and ripening protocol per lot; there is no single universal Hass set point.

Phytosanitary and import controls

Certified orchards

Only orchards verified and certified by SENASICA in approved states may supply the program.

Packhouse inspection

APHIS inspects fruit at packing facilities before export, as stated by USDA FAS in March 2026.

Traceability

The 2016 rule requires traceback labelling, pre-harvest orchard surveys and sanitation.

Security pauses

Inspections were paused in February 2022, June 2024 and August 2026 after security incidents; earlier pauses were lifted, and after the August 2026 pause the US Embassy announced US government activities in Michoacán fully resumed on 13 August 2026 (no APHIS-specific notice found). Build contingency into delivery schedules.

Fields to put in a commercial RFQ

Ask every packer to answer the same fields so offers are comparable.

  • Count range (for example 48–60) and tolerance.
  • Minimum dry matter and how it is sampled.
  • Origin state and confirmation of SENASICA-certified orchards.
  • Pack: 25 lb lug or other format, labelling and pallet configuration.
  • Ripeness at shipping (mature-green or pre-conditioned) and ripening protocol.
  • Weekly volume, programme length and US delivery point.
  • Transport temperature and records.
  • Incoterms and payment terms.

Who buys

  • US importers and ripeners supplying retail and foodservice.
  • Retail chains running year-round avocado programmes.
  • Foodservice distributors buying by count size for kitchen yield.

Mexico and other Hass origins for the US

Mexico supplies the US all year; other origins can add volume in their own windows if they have US access.

OriginWindowUS access basisNote
Mexico (Michoacán, Jalisco)All yearAPHIS program, 7 CFR 319.56-30This corridor
PeruApr–SepAPHIS final rule, January 2010 (systems approach)See the Peru Hass corridor
ColombiaAll year (two crops)Check APHIS ACIR for current conditionsColombia Avocado Board calendar

Frequently asked questions

Which Mexican states can export avocados to the US?

Michoacán and Jalisco, from orchards certified under the program, according to USDA FAS in March 2026.

Who inspects Mexican avocados for the US?

SENASICA certifies orchards; APHIS inspects fruit at packing facilities before export.

What dry matter is required?

At least 21% dry matter in the sample for US-bound fruit, according to APEAM. Its field procedure targets a 23% average.

What do sizes like 48 or 60 mean?

The number of fruit in a 25 lb two-layer lug. They describe size, not quality grade.

Does SeedMatch Group sell avocados?

No. This page is market research. SeedMatch Group runs a buyer-first, human-reviewed request process; programmes are sourced through its parent group's marketplace, Global B2B Group, without direct buyer–exporter contact.

Planning a programme on this route?

Send a private, specification-led request: fruit, variety, grade, pack, treatment route, arrival window and weekly volume. A sourcing specialist reviews it before any exporter is approached. Free for buyers; managed programmes from USD 250,000.

Send a managed fresh produce RFQ

Fruit and other food commodity programmes run through Global B2B Group, the parent group's buyer-first marketplace. Global B2B Group

Cold storage, ripening rooms and refrigerated logistics infrastructure: ColdMatch Group. coldmatchgroup.com

Related

Sources

Official and industry documents reviewed on 25 October 2026, with their publication dates.

Next step

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