Green Gold in Peril: How the Mexican Cartels Threaten the Michoacan Avocado Production
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Keywords:
Non-Traditional Security Threat, Michoacan, Cartel, Avocado, Mexico
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Abstract
The avocado industry has been an important piece in Mexico’s economy. Known as the “green gold”, most avocados are produced in Michoacan, the most suitable region in Mexico to grow them. The avocado industry also brings huge benefits like the avocado boom that has created countless jobs in Mexico. However, the Michoacan avocado production has been the target of the cartels as they seek to gain control over them. Through the use of qualitative research methods, the article seeks to explain the ways cartels pose a threat to the Michoacan avocado production, the reason behind the cartels entry to the industry, the bleak prospects if they are left unhandled including how the governments can take care of it. The article finds that the cartels threaten Michoacan avocado production through its violent measures as its means to gain control of it. The motivation behind the cartels’ race to control the industry can be pointed to Mexico’s political development and the industry’s exponential boom. Moreover, the urgency for the government’s decisive action is explained through the bleak prospects brought by the cartels which range from deterioration of Mexico’s national institution to economic repercussions. The article ends with elaboration on the ways the government can respond to the issue which could be done through the act of securitization and cooperating with other states, notably the US as the biggest buyer of avocados from Michocan and Mexico’s neighbor.
Article Details
How to Cite
Manullang, A. J., Khairunnisa, N. D., & Sudirman, A. (2023). Green Gold in Peril: How the Mexican Cartels Threaten the Michoacan Avocado Production. Jurnal Studi Sosial Dan Politik, 7(2), 177-192. https://doi.org/10.19109/jssp.v7i2.18538
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How to Cite
Manullang, A. J., Khairunnisa, N. D., & Sudirman, A. (2023). Green Gold in Peril: How the Mexican Cartels Threaten the Michoacan Avocado Production. Jurnal Studi Sosial Dan Politik, 7(2), 177-192. https://doi.org/10.19109/jssp.v7i2.18538
References
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Balzacq, T., Léonard, S., & Ruzicka, J. (2016). ‘Securitization’ revisited: theory and cases. International Relations, 30(4), 494–531. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047117815596590
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Bremner, M. (2021). Did Avocado Cartels Kill the Butterfly King? Retrieved from Bloomberg website: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-07-23/did-the-avocado-cartel-kill-mexico-butterfly-king-homero-gomez-gonzalez?leadSource=uv
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Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods.
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Descalcota, M. (2023). Inside Michoacán, Mexico’s Biggest Avocado-Producing Region. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Business Insider website: https://www.insider.com/michoacan-mexico-biggest-avocado-producing-region-photos-2022-2
Donnelly, J. (2014). Human Rights. In J. S. S. O. P. Baylis (Ed.), The Globalization of World Politics (6th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, E. (2020). Neighbor at Risk: Mexico’s Deepening Crisis.
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Erickson, M., & Owen, L. (2020b). Is Avocado Demand Driving Cartel Violence? Retrieved from University of Washington website: https://sites.uw.edu/uwpoliticaleconomy/2020/08/05/is-avocado-demand-driving-cartel-violence-by-megan-erickson-and-lucas-owen/1/4
Fitriyana, N., Pudjiastuti, T., & Izomiddin, I. (2023). The Resistance of Palembang’s Local Religious Elites to Dutch East Indies Islamic Politics in the 20th Century. Al-Tahrir: Jurnal Pemikiran Islam, 23(1), 237-262.
Food and Agriculture Organization. (2023). Major Tropical Fruits Market Review Preliminary Results - 2022. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/3/cc3939en/cc3939en.pdf
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Khadijah, N., Falahudin, I., Yenrizal, Y., Rodiah, S., & Ichsan, C. (2022). Implementation Of Washing Program In Sustainable Water Management At Uin Raden Fatah Palembang. Journal of Sustainability Perspectives, 2, 271-276.
Lakhani, N., & Tirado, E. (2016). Why did Mexico launch its war on drugs? Retrieved from The Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/dec/08/mexico-war-on-drugs-cost-achievements-us-billions
Lucas, A. (2022). U.S. government allows Mexican avocado imports to resume after brief suspension. Retrieved from CNBC website: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/18/us-government-allows-mexican-avocado-imports-to-resume-after-brief-suspension.html#:~:text=The
Martinez, M. (2022). US lifts ban on avocados from Mexico after drug cartel threat. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from New York Post website: https://nypost.com/2022/02/18/us-lifts-ban-on-avocados-from-mexico-after-drug-cartel-threat/
Miller, J. (2022, March 13). How Mexican cartels got between you and your avocados. Retrieved from Boston Globe website: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/03/13/opinion/how-mexican-cartels-got-between-you-your-avocados/
Mislawaty, S. E., Harahap, R., & Anisyah, S. (2022). Digitalizing Governance in South Sumatera: An Introduction “E-Sumsel” System Reforming Public Service Management. Jurnal Bina Praja: Journal of Home Affairs Governance, 14(3), 399-411.
Moleong, L. J. (2018). Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif (Rev.). Bandung: PT Remaja Rosdakarya.
O’Dowd, P., & Hagan, A. (2020). Why Avocados Attract Interest Of Mexican Drug Cartels. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Wbur website: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/02/07/avocados-mexican-drug-cartels
Ornelas, G. R. (2018). Organized Crime in Michoacán: Rent-Seeking Activities in the Avocado Export Market. Politics and Policy, 46(5), 759–789. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12270
Rainsford, C. (2019). Mexico’s Cartels Fighting It Out for Control of Avocado Business. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from InSight Crime website: https://insightcrime.org/news/brief/mexico-cartels-fighting-avocado-business/
Ramadhan, L. A., Izomiddin, I., & Zalpa, Y. (2022). Political Will Pemerintahan Kabupaten Banyuasin dalam Meningkatkan Industri Pangan di Kecamatan Tungkal Ilir. Jurnal Prodi Ilmu Politik, 1(1), 18-29.
Ritonga, M., & Harahap, R. (2023). Keterlibatan Selebriti Pasca Parliamentary Threshold dalam Kontestasi Politik Elektoral di Indonesia. Jurnal Pemerintahan Dan Politik, 8(3), 238–245. https://doi.org/10.36982/jpg.v8i3.3320
Rivers, M. (2022). Why avocado shipments from Mexico to the US were stopped: A death threat to a safety inspector. Retrieved from CNN Business website: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/16/business-food/us-safety-inspector-threatened-mexico/index.html
Rohmaniyah, N., Syawaludin, M., Idi, A., & Sholikhin, A. (2023). Javanese Traditional Culture “Temu Manten”: Part of Javanese Acculturation Society in Sumatera. JUSPI (Jurnal Sejarah Peradaban Islam), 7(1), 21-28.
Rudo, J. L. (2021). Beyond the guacamole: a history of how drug organizations became involved in the avocado industry. Retrieved from https://ircommons.uwf.edu/esploro/outputs/graduate/Beyond-the-guacamole/99380090730406600/filesAndLinks?index=0
Stoett, P. J., & Omrow, D. A. (2021). Spheres of Transnational Ecoviolence: Environmental Crime, Human Security, and Justice. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Syawaludin, M. (2023). Social Political Roots of Leadership Power In Ulu Malay Lampik Empat Merdike Duwe. Khazanah Sosial, 5(1), 90-103.
Thelmadatter, L. (2021). Mexico’s avocado boom benefits rural farmers — but also organized crime. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Mexico News Daily website: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexico-living/avocado-boom-benefits-rural-farmers-and-organized-crime/
United States Department of Agriculture. (2022). USDA ERS - Chart Detail. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Economic Research Service website: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=103810
Viana, R. C. E. (2022). Islamic Populism in Palembang in the 1950s. Muslim Politics Review, 1(2), 209-226.
Villa Navaro, P. (2023). Super Bowl: Mexican avocado exports to the U.S. 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Statista website: https://www.statista.com/statistics/976764/avocado-exports-volume-united-states-super-bowl-mexico/
Wæver, O. (1998). Security and Desecuritization. In R. D. Lipschultz (Ed.), On Security. New York: Colombia University Press.
Weitenberg, C. (2022). Butterflies v Cartels: The fight to save Mexico’s butterfly forest. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from SBS News website: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dateline/article/butterflies-v-cartels-the-fight-to-save-mexicos-butterfly-forest/eu387qzvo
Wells, N. (2020). How the War on Drugs Increases Violence and Rewards Cartels. Retrieved from https://politicalsciencenow.com/how-the-war-on-drugs-increases-violence-and-rewards-cartels
Yusnita, E., & Anisyah, S. (2023). Balancing Interests in Responding Pandemic Covid-19 in Palembang: The Policy Networks Analysis. Jurnal Studi Sosial dan Politik, 7(1), 79-91.
Ayala, M. O. (2020). Avocado: the “green gold” causing environment havoc. Retrieved from World Economic Forum website: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/02/avocado-environment-cost-food-mexico/
Balzacq, T., Léonard, S., & Ruzicka, J. (2016). ‘Securitization’ revisited: theory and cases. International Relations, 30(4), 494–531. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047117815596590
Bekiempis, V. (2022). Holy guacamole: US gives green light to Mexico avocado imports after short ban. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from The Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/19/avocado-us-mexico-import-ban
Bremner, M. (2021). Did Avocado Cartels Kill the Butterfly King? Retrieved from Bloomberg website: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-07-23/did-the-avocado-cartel-kill-mexico-butterfly-king-homero-gomez-gonzalez?leadSource=uv
Brenner, C. (2021). Mexico’s Transnational Criminal Organizations are Benefitting from the Pandemic. Retrieved from American Security Project website: https://www.americansecurityproject.org/mexicos-transnational-criminal-organizations-are-benefitting-from-the-pandemic/
Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods.
Cartel Chronicles. (2019). Mexican Avocado Farmers Suffer Cartel Kidnapping, Extortion Tactics. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Breitbart website: https://www.breitbart.com/border/2019/07/12/mexican-avocado-farmers-suffer-cartel-kidnapping-extortion-tactics/
Castrodale, J. (2020). The Real Winner of the Super Bowl Is the Avocado Industry. Retrieved from Vice News website: https://www.vice.com/en/article/v74b93/the-real-winner-of-the-super-bowl-is-the-avocado-industry
Council on Foreign Relations. (2022). Mexico’s Long War: Drugs, Crime, and the Cartels.
Creswell, J. (2022). U.S. Temporarily Bans Avocados From Mexico, Citing Threat. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from New York Times website: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/business/us-mexico-avocado-ban.html
Descalcota, M. (2023). Inside Michoacán, Mexico’s Biggest Avocado-Producing Region. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Business Insider website: https://www.insider.com/michoacan-mexico-biggest-avocado-producing-region-photos-2022-2
Donnelly, J. (2014). Human Rights. In J. S. S. O. P. Baylis (Ed.), The Globalization of World Politics (6th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, E. (2020). Neighbor at Risk: Mexico’s Deepening Crisis.
Erickson, M., & Owen, L. (2020a). Blood Avocados: Cartel Violence Over Licit Industries in Mexico. Retrieved from https://sites.uw.edu/uwpoliticaleconomy/files/2020/08/Erickson__Owen_2020_06_092.pdf
Erickson, M., & Owen, L. (2020b). Is Avocado Demand Driving Cartel Violence? Retrieved from University of Washington website: https://sites.uw.edu/uwpoliticaleconomy/2020/08/05/is-avocado-demand-driving-cartel-violence-by-megan-erickson-and-lucas-owen/1/4
Fitriyana, N., Pudjiastuti, T., & Izomiddin, I. (2023). The Resistance of Palembang’s Local Religious Elites to Dutch East Indies Islamic Politics in the 20th Century. Al-Tahrir: Jurnal Pemikiran Islam, 23(1), 237-262.
Food and Agriculture Organization. (2023). Major Tropical Fruits Market Review Preliminary Results - 2022. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/3/cc3939en/cc3939en.pdf
Garay, M. (2021). Mexican avocado export. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Garay Company website: https://www.garaycompany.com/insights/mexican-avocado-exports
Hunt, E. (2021). The U.S. has spent billions trying to fix Mexico’s drug war. It’s not working. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from The Washington Post website: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/03/15/us-has-spent-billions-trying-fix-mexicos-drug-war-its-not-working/
International Trade Administration. (2023). Mexico-Country Commercial. Retrieved from International Trade Administration website: https://www.trade.gov/knowledge-product/exporting-mexico-market-overview
Karst, T. (2023). USDA stats show extent of Mexico’s dominance in U.S. avocado volume, value. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from The Packer website: https://www.thepacker.com/news/produce-crops/usda-stats-show-extent-mexicos-dominance-us-avocado-volume-value
Khadijah, N., Falahudin, I., Yenrizal, Y., Rodiah, S., & Ichsan, C. (2022). Implementation Of Washing Program In Sustainable Water Management At Uin Raden Fatah Palembang. Journal of Sustainability Perspectives, 2, 271-276.
Lakhani, N., & Tirado, E. (2016). Why did Mexico launch its war on drugs? Retrieved from The Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/dec/08/mexico-war-on-drugs-cost-achievements-us-billions
Lucas, A. (2022). U.S. government allows Mexican avocado imports to resume after brief suspension. Retrieved from CNBC website: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/18/us-government-allows-mexican-avocado-imports-to-resume-after-brief-suspension.html#:~:text=The
Martinez, M. (2022). US lifts ban on avocados from Mexico after drug cartel threat. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from New York Post website: https://nypost.com/2022/02/18/us-lifts-ban-on-avocados-from-mexico-after-drug-cartel-threat/
Miller, J. (2022, March 13). How Mexican cartels got between you and your avocados. Retrieved from Boston Globe website: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/03/13/opinion/how-mexican-cartels-got-between-you-your-avocados/
Mislawaty, S. E., Harahap, R., & Anisyah, S. (2022). Digitalizing Governance in South Sumatera: An Introduction “E-Sumsel” System Reforming Public Service Management. Jurnal Bina Praja: Journal of Home Affairs Governance, 14(3), 399-411.
Moleong, L. J. (2018). Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif (Rev.). Bandung: PT Remaja Rosdakarya.
O’Dowd, P., & Hagan, A. (2020). Why Avocados Attract Interest Of Mexican Drug Cartels. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Wbur website: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/02/07/avocados-mexican-drug-cartels
Ornelas, G. R. (2018). Organized Crime in Michoacán: Rent-Seeking Activities in the Avocado Export Market. Politics and Policy, 46(5), 759–789. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12270
Rainsford, C. (2019). Mexico’s Cartels Fighting It Out for Control of Avocado Business. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from InSight Crime website: https://insightcrime.org/news/brief/mexico-cartels-fighting-avocado-business/
Ramadhan, L. A., Izomiddin, I., & Zalpa, Y. (2022). Political Will Pemerintahan Kabupaten Banyuasin dalam Meningkatkan Industri Pangan di Kecamatan Tungkal Ilir. Jurnal Prodi Ilmu Politik, 1(1), 18-29.
Ritonga, M., & Harahap, R. (2023). Keterlibatan Selebriti Pasca Parliamentary Threshold dalam Kontestasi Politik Elektoral di Indonesia. Jurnal Pemerintahan Dan Politik, 8(3), 238–245. https://doi.org/10.36982/jpg.v8i3.3320
Rivers, M. (2022). Why avocado shipments from Mexico to the US were stopped: A death threat to a safety inspector. Retrieved from CNN Business website: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/16/business-food/us-safety-inspector-threatened-mexico/index.html
Rohmaniyah, N., Syawaludin, M., Idi, A., & Sholikhin, A. (2023). Javanese Traditional Culture “Temu Manten”: Part of Javanese Acculturation Society in Sumatera. JUSPI (Jurnal Sejarah Peradaban Islam), 7(1), 21-28.
Rudo, J. L. (2021). Beyond the guacamole: a history of how drug organizations became involved in the avocado industry. Retrieved from https://ircommons.uwf.edu/esploro/outputs/graduate/Beyond-the-guacamole/99380090730406600/filesAndLinks?index=0
Stoett, P. J., & Omrow, D. A. (2021). Spheres of Transnational Ecoviolence: Environmental Crime, Human Security, and Justice. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Syawaludin, M. (2023). Social Political Roots of Leadership Power In Ulu Malay Lampik Empat Merdike Duwe. Khazanah Sosial, 5(1), 90-103.
Thelmadatter, L. (2021). Mexico’s avocado boom benefits rural farmers — but also organized crime. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Mexico News Daily website: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexico-living/avocado-boom-benefits-rural-farmers-and-organized-crime/
United States Department of Agriculture. (2022). USDA ERS - Chart Detail. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Economic Research Service website: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=103810
Viana, R. C. E. (2022). Islamic Populism in Palembang in the 1950s. Muslim Politics Review, 1(2), 209-226.
Villa Navaro, P. (2023). Super Bowl: Mexican avocado exports to the U.S. 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from Statista website: https://www.statista.com/statistics/976764/avocado-exports-volume-united-states-super-bowl-mexico/
Wæver, O. (1998). Security and Desecuritization. In R. D. Lipschultz (Ed.), On Security. New York: Colombia University Press.
Weitenberg, C. (2022). Butterflies v Cartels: The fight to save Mexico’s butterfly forest. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from SBS News website: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dateline/article/butterflies-v-cartels-the-fight-to-save-mexicos-butterfly-forest/eu387qzvo
Wells, N. (2020). How the War on Drugs Increases Violence and Rewards Cartels. Retrieved from https://politicalsciencenow.com/how-the-war-on-drugs-increases-violence-and-rewards-cartels
Yusnita, E., & Anisyah, S. (2023). Balancing Interests in Responding Pandemic Covid-19 in Palembang: The Policy Networks Analysis. Jurnal Studi Sosial dan Politik, 7(1), 79-91.