U.S. to resume avocado inspections in Mexican state that were halted by violence

U.S. government inspections of avocados and mangoes in the Mexican state of Michoacan will gradually resume, U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar announced Friday, a week after they were suspended over an assault on inspectors.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors "will gradually begin to return to the packing plants following recent aggression against them," Salazar said in a statement. "However, it is still necessary to advance in guaranteeing their security before reaching full operations."

"In fact, more work still needs to be done so that the (agriculture) inspectors are safe and can resume inspections and thereby eliminate the impediments to the trade of avocado and mango to the United States from Michoacan."