Avocados have become one of the world's most prized cash crops and Mexico still accounts for more than 30% of global avocado production. However, this crop has also begun to entice the nation’s ever hungry criminals looking to dip into the action.
This week, in the western state of Michoacán, police were forced to provide armed escort for a the 14 lorries taking avocados from Santa Ana Zirosto to La Quinta in the district of Uruapan. It was not the first time producers had warranted police protection, as rising incidents of robbery and violence targeting supply of the fruit.
Earlier this month, the country's ruling party MORENA declared that price hikes in limes and avocados were in part due to the extortions to which producers were subjected.
The country's statistics office found that avocado prices have risen 230% between December and January. Last June, some 3,000 avocado farmers armed themselves in Michoacán in response to rising incidents of extortion and criminal intimidation.
Source: worldcrunch.com
