Mexico now requires a CLA labor certificate for avocado exports
Effective October 1, Mexico requires all individuals and companies exporting avocados to obtain the Labor Certificate for Agricultural Exports (CLA), a new non-tariff regulatory instrument that certifies compliance with labor and social security obligations across the production chain. The application process is managed through VELAGRO, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) digital platform. The first CLA is valid from October 1 to November 7, 2026, and the scheme is being launched as a pilot program before expanding to other crops.
The measure is based on an amendment published on May 1, 2026, which added Article 283 Quater to the Federal Labor Act and authorized the STPS to issue the certificate. The general provisions were published in June, followed by the specific agreement for avocados in the Official Gazette of the Federation on September 15. According to the official agreement, avocado sales to the United States rose by 35% in the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Michoacán and Jalisco took part in meetings and training sessions organized by the authorities to prepare for implementation.
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The system does more than verify exporters’ registration. As the program progresses, accreditation will extend across the entire value chain, including producers, packing centers, and agricultural service providers. The scheme uses a ‘technical factor’ to link the minimum labor required at each stage to the volume of goods produced, ensuring that commercial operations are matched by a corresponding number of formally employed workers.
The official timetable requires exporters to upload information about producers, orchards, and other supply chain members to VELAGRO between November 1 and 7. Phased registration of employers with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) will begin in January 2027: 25% in January, 50% in February, 75% in March, and 100% from April onward. From then on, the system will progressively apply the technical factor, reaching 100% in October 2027.
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The STPS has confirmed that the berry sector will join the scheme in 2027, and that discussions with sector representatives are already underway. The government plans to gradually extend the system to other agricultural products for export.
Source: www.freshplaza.com
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