In 2024 Mexico increased 3.39% the value of lemon exports to the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America, despite extortion and the collection of floor to producers of Apatzingán, Buenavista and Paracuaro.
Lemon producers sold 822 million dollars abroad, when in 2023 795 million dollars were registered, according to Banco de México (Banxico).
The United States is the main market where Mexican Limoneros sell the food used to flavor waters, salads and other meals.
In 2023, Mexico was the second world producer in Limón and the second largest food exporter, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader).
Limoneros reaped more than 3 million 239,915 tons of the fruit, of which more than 716,163 were exported to the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Japan.
Michoacán is the largest lemon producer in Mexico, although it is the target of the crime. The center and west areas are the largest producers, after more than 953,652 tons harvested. That means that they lifted 37.6% lemon throughout the country.
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In mid -August 2024, Limoneros de Apatzingán suspended the cutting and collection of criminal cell aggressions operating in the region, such as Troy’s whites, an organization led by César Alejandro Sepúlveda Arellano.
The leaders of the producers were to demand justice and the intervention of state and federal authorities, as well as stop the extortion.
A month later, activities in solidarity with colleagues from other municipalities to whom they also extorted and demanded collection for floor right were again stopped.
According to lemon producers, the cartels increased from two to three pesos the payment of a “criminal tax” for each kilogram of the citrus that reaches the packers.
One of the strategies of the Government of Claudia Sheinbaum, which was launched at the beginning of its administration, was to bring peace to the lemons producers of Michoacán. And that is why he undertook an extortion care plan in lemon productive cycle in the entity.
For years, Sepúlveda Arellano has been linked to extortion to lemon and avocado producers, and with the control of criminal activities in the northern part of the municipality of Apatzingán.
The leader, whose daughter Johana Sepúlveda and son -in -law Gerardo Valencia, were arrested for extorting limits and avocado, was part of the travel cell.
The man, who is known in the criminal world as ‘El Botox’, was arrested and put into prison in 2018, later left prison and already free of all guilt founded Troy’s whites. For a couple of years there is a capture record and a reward on the violence generator.
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Michoacán is played by the Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel and the United Cartels criminal group, which brings together criminal cells such as Viagras, the Michoacan family and the Trojan whites, which are characterized by the generation of a high rate of violence.
In the municipality of Apatzingán, Troy’s whites are the main generators of violence.
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