El Naranjo Airfield

While no single official reason has been published, the closure was almost certainly due to economic factors or a change in the operational needs of its private owner(s). As a small agricultural airstrip, its closure likely stemmed from one or more of the following: the high cost of aircraft and airfield maintenance, the owner's retirement or sale of the property, or a shift in agricultural practices towards ground-based fumigation or using services from larger regional airports.

The site is currently an abandoned and derelict airstrip. The unpaved runway, though still visible from satellite view, is unserviceable, heavily overgrown with grass and shrubs, and shows signs of erosion. The surrounding land remains active with agricultural use, primarily citrus groves. The airfield itself is not being repurposed for any other activity and is slowly being reclaimed by the natural environment.

El Naranjo Airfield was a private agricultural airstrip serving the local farming community. Its name, which translates to 'The Orange Tree,' and its location in Montemorelos—a municipality renowned as Mexico's 'Orange Capital'—strongly indicate its primary function. The airfield supported the region's vital citrus industry by handling small, fixed-wing aircraft for crop dusting (aerial fumigation) and pest control. It represented a key tool for modern agriculture in the area, allowing for efficient and large-scale treatment of the orange groves during its years of operation.

There are no known plans, proposals, or prospects for reopening El Naranjo Airfield. Given its status as a small, private-use strip that has been defunct for over a decade, the significant investment required to clear, regrade, and potentially certify the runway makes its revival highly unlikely without a specific and compelling new private or commercial need.