The government of the State of Michoacán, through its Secretary of Government, Carlos Torres, confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that 70% of the packing plants in Buenavista and 80% of the packing plants in Apatzingán, in the region known as Tierra Caliente, have stopped their operations.

According to Torres, the strike is due to the drop in the price of Michoacan lemons, which in recent months has fallen to seven or eight pesos per kilo, a scenario very different from the one experienced in the neighboring state of Colima, where the purchase price for producers is 20 pesos.

In Múgica, Parácuaro, Tepalcatepec, Aguililla, and La Huacana, commercial activity continues at 100%.

"We continue to have meetings and communication with producers. There is a permanent dialogue. We continue with surveillance operations and permanent attention in Tierra Caliente," he said.

In addition to the price factor, there are the security conditions of producers and packers, as they are being extorted by organized crime.

It is worth remembering that in August 2023, Apatzingán lemon growers suspended their activities, as there were no security guarantees, after being threatened by criminals that if they did not pay their respective quotas they would attempt against their patrimony and integrity. On that occasion, the stoppage lasted more than 10 days.

Michoacán produces an average of 700,000 tons of lemons per year on 50,000 hectares, mainly for the Mexican market, although a large part is exported to the United States.