U.S. avocado consumption has grown more than sevenfold since the late 1990s, rising from approximately 424 million pounds in 1998/99 to 3.25 billion pounds in 2024/25. Mexico supplies 83% of U.S. avocado imports, accounting for nearly 2.9 billion pounds in 2025, while California has only 49,300 acres of bearing avocado farmland. According to a 2026 economic impact analysis by Texas A&M University researchers, Mexican Hass avocado imports generated an estimated $7.1 billion in U.S. economic output and supported more than 37,000 jobs in fiscal year 2025/26. The author opposes seasonal tariff-rate quotas proposed by Congress, arguing they would raise prices for consumers without addressing the underlying cost challenges facing California growers.
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