News and Stories

President Trump’s threat to close the U.S.-Mexico border last week has the produce industry preparing for the worst case scenario, if the threat comes to fruition. A significant amount of Mexican fruits and vegetables are currently crossing into the U.S. through Arizona, California, and Texas. A closure would cause significant harm to our supply chain.

The reassigning of Customs and Border Protection has already resulted in a slowdown and some border crossings being closed on Sundays. This has caused some loading delays, especially on Mondays for trucks waiting to load product that could not cross on Sundays. The following items are some of the larger commodities currently being imported from Mexico:

• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Bell Peppers
• Berries
• Chile Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Green Onions
• Honeydew
• Limes
• Squash
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

At this time, border crossings remain open while the industry awaits the Trump Administration’s final decision. If the border is closed, the U.S. does not have the domestic supply to replace the Mexican produce currently being sourced, and the potential for severe shortages is a real possibility.

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

©2019 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.