New “Path to Sustainability” unites growers, packers and importers around water, biodiversity, climate and deforestation goals, targeting net‑zero impact by 2035
The Avocado Institute of Mexico has set Mexican avocados on a sweeping new course, unveiling on 17 April 2025 a comprehensive “Path to Sustainability” that unites growers, packers, exporters, and U.S. importers behind firm environmental targets, including net‑zero deforestation and a carbon‑neutral supply chain by 2035.
Crafted with guidance from environmental consultancies Pollination Group and Innovagro, the roadmap will steer every link of the industry’s value chain from orchards in Michoacán to retail displays in the United States through a mix of binding commitments, measurable milestones, and bi‑annual public reporting.
Structured around four priority areas, the strategy calls for sustainable water management, biodiversity protection, climate‑impact reduction, and forest conservation.
Each pillar feeds into one of five interlocking programmes (Corporate Governance for Sustainability; Sustainable Orchards; Sustainable Packing Houses; Sustainable Distribution and Marketing; and Restoration of Biodiversity, Forests, and Watersheds) that are designed to reinforce one another and embed environmental accountability at every operational level.
Water stewardship tops the immediate agenda.
By 2026 the sector will roll out resource‑management protocols across all production zones, supplementing watershed work already underway through APEAM’s Forest Restoration programme.
Today more than 60 percent of Michoacán’s orchards depend solely on rainfall, while a further 35 percent employ drip or micro‑sprinkler systems data the Institute says prove that large‑scale fruit production can coexist with prudent aquifer use.
Biodiversity commitments move in parallel.
This year growers will debut a science‑based action plan aimed at preserving ecological corridors and boosting pollinator populations.
Existing safeguards integrated pest‑management protocols and partnerships such as MHAIA’s 1.6‑million‑tree programme with Forests for Monarchs will be folded into the new framework to ensure continuity and avoid duplication.
Climate and land‑use objectives are the most ambitious.
To hit a net‑zero carbon footprint within a decade, the industry pledges to slash on‑farm emissions, expand carbon‑sequestering agro‑forestry, and tighten logistics efficiencies.
On the deforestation front, a baseline mapping study slated for later this year will pinpoint critical forested zones; lessons from the Avocado Landscape Restoration and Reforestation Project already responsible for planting more than 3.6 million pine trees will inform restoration blueprints.
Transparency is baked into the governance model: an industry‑wide steering committee will publish progress dashboards every six months and commission third‑party audits at key milestones.
Stakeholders say that level of disclosure is essential to maintaining credibility in export markets where retailers increasingly demand proof of climate action.
“The Path to Sustainability signifies a transformative cultural shift within the avocado industry. This initiative is not just about setting goals but about cultivating an industry‑wide ethos of sustainability that will guide us forward. We are fostering a profound commitment to environmental stewardship that permeates every level of our operations. By rallying the collaboration of diverse stakeholders, we are redefining our collective responsibility toward the natural environment and our communities, ensuring that our legacy is one of conscientious cultivation and lasting impact.”
Ernesto Enkerlin, Environmental Consultant with Innovagro
With global demand for avocados still climbing and new markets opening in Asia and Europe, the Institute believes the plan positions Mexico to expand responsibly while safeguarding the ecosystems on which its $3.5‑billion export trade depends.
Analysts will watch closely as water‑use metrics, reforestation counts, and carbon‑audit results begin to surface; if the sector hits its interim checkpoints, it could offer a model for other fruit industries grappling with climate‑era supply‑chain pressures.
