Costco will demand 'deforestation-free' certification for all Michoacán avocados
Through a post on its website, the government of Michoacán announced that US retail giant Costco will require its avocado suppliers in the Mexican state to comply with the Pro Forest Avocado certification.
The announcement, the post read, was made by Michoacán’s Secretary of the Environment (SECMA), Alejandro Méndez López.
"Costco is one of the most important consumers, as the company supplies around 30 percent of the US market," highlighted the state official.
Deforestation-free avocados for Costco customers
The head of the SECMA explained that the Pro Forest Avocado certification guarantees that the fruit comes from orchards certified as deforestation-free since at least January 2018.
This requirement aligns with Costco's strategy for "high-risk" products like avocado, which demands traceability, monitoring, and verification through independent third parties.
The Pro Forest Avocado program offers environmental benefits, said the Michoacán government, such as complete traceability, total independence from producers and packers, scientific evidence, and environmental due diligence.
Furthering the Pro Forest Avocado program
The secretary added that in June of this year, the agency sent letters to 10 US supermarkets inviting them to participate in the Pro Forest Avocado program.
The program works in collaboration with non-governmental organizations, which have called for the implementation of this scheme to clean the avocado supply chain of environmental violations.
Méndez López added that the agency will soon implement water footprint verification for each harvest through the "Guardián del Agua" (Water Guardian) program. The initiative, he said, will further strengthen the sustainability of the avocado production process.
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