(Bloomberg) Grocery stores in parts of the United States are expected to start running out of some perishables starting this weekend due to a blockade of Mexican truck drivers that has stranded millions of dollars in fresh produce.
About $150 million worth of fruits and vegetables are paralyzed south of the US-Mexico border amid a protest over Texas Governor Greg Abbott's controversial vehicle inspection program, according to Texas International Produce Association (TIPA). The lockdown, which entered its fourth day on Thursday, is preventing the delivery of products such as avocados, limes, tomatoes, cucumbers and mangoes.
“Looking ahead to this Easter weekend, consumers will see store shelves devoid of certain items,” said Dante L. Galeazzi, TIPA CEO.
The first impacts are likely to be seen in the Midwest and along the East Coast, he added. Although commercial traffic has resumed at the initial blockade site, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office, local media reported that truckers were shifting their focus to other crossing points.
“Some retailers, particularly those in the grocery industry, have experienced supply chain delays as a result of long wait times along the Texas-Mexico border,” John McCord, executive director of the Texas Retailers Association, wrote in an email.
Alittle over a week ago, Abbott ordered state police officers to begin inspecting Mexican commercial trucks heading north to reinforce security on the roads of the Lone Star State. Although 25% of the vehicles inspected were removed from the road due to poor brakes and other defects, the reaction of business and political interests on both sides of the border has been fierce.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, a Republican like Abbott, was one of the first to sound the alarm, warning earlier this week that the dispute would trigger a food shortage and bring the price of avocados to $5 a unit.
Meanwhile, temperatures along the border have hovered around 33°C, making it difficult for refrigerated trucks to keep fresh produce cold enough to prevent them from spoiling.
Abbott said Wednesday that he seeks to replicate agreements with the governors of Mexican states such as the one he signed with the leader of Nuevo León that would stop inspections in Texas in exchange for increased surveillance south of the border.
McCord, from the retail association, said he is seeing “signs of a more normalized delivery schedule due to the agreement reached between Governors Abbott and Garcia on Wednesday.”
“The transportation of agricultural goods and other commodities is vital to the Texas agricultural industry and important supply chains,” said Gary Joiner, spokesman for the Texas Agricultural Office. “We are encouraged by the recent agreement in the Laredo region that is facilitating movement and inspections at the port of entry. We hope that other similar measures and agreements can be reached at other points of entry.”
Original Note:
Produced Worth Millions Now Stuck Behind Mexico Truck Protest (2)
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