Violent criminal drug cartels are connected with much that goes on in our neighbor to the south, Mexico — and that includes the highly lucrative market for avocados in the United States. The US imported a record 2.87 billion pounds of fresh avocados last year, about 83% of them from Mexico. While California produces about 90% of the nation’s homegrown avocados, its crop isn’t nearly large enough to satisfy the country’s appetite. The move includes a pause on the federal inspections required before Mexican avocados can be exported to the United States. The halt is happening because of a new violent act by the drug cartels, the Mexican state's governor explains:Michoacán Gov.