Why are avocados so expensive?

Why are avocados so expensive? - Flat-lay Photo of Fruits and Vegetables

Avocados are in my opinion one the most loved fruit in the world. I live in South Africa, for a ready ripe avocado you would easily pay between R25 (1.61 usd) and R40 (2.58 usd). For a South African this is ridiculously expensive. We are experiencing one of the worst droughts in our county’s history. But even before the drought they we in the price range they are in now.

We probably import most of our avocados seeing that the drought did not shoot up the price with that much. Which led me thinking what does affect the price of an avocado? Why are they so expensive?



Best Answer

Supply and demand.

Supplies of avocados are declining due to droughts and unusual weather patterns. Not only drought can reduce crops, but unusual cool weather patterns can as well. Avocados dislike temperatures lower than 10°C and have absolutely no frost tolerance.

Demand for avocados is going steadily upward as more people enjoy cuisines in which they are popular, such as Mexican and many South American dishes. Avocado oil is becoming more in demand as people consume it for its healthy omegas, and cooks use it due to its high smoke-point.

Declining supply + rising demand = high prices.




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Quick Answer about "Why are avocados so expensive?"

The main reason avocados cost so much is because it costs more to produce them, especially in terms of water usage. On average, if we're producing 100,000 pounds of avocados per acre, that takes about a million gallons of water. Plus the costs of fertilizer.

Why are avocados getting expensive?

The rise in avocado prices comes amid concerns about food inflation, which has been exacerbated due to supply chain challenges. US food prices edged 1% higher on-month and 7.9% on-year in February, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Why are avocados so expensive 2021?

In January 2021, an avocado cost about $1.05. Now, consumers can expect to pay about $1.36 per avocado, a price that will only rise if the stoppage of Mexican imports continues. \u201cThe USDA's decision will have a huge impact on the market supply of avocados, and the price is expected to further spike,\u201d Guan says.

Why are there no avocados in Mexico?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture banned imports of the fleshy fruit from Mexico on Feb. 11, 2022, after an employee of its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, who was working in Mexico, received threats after refusing to certify a mislabeled shipment of avocados.

Are avocados a luxury?

Earlier this week, one Southern California supplier told The Orange County Register that a case of avocados now runs about $76, \u201cthe highest the company has seen in three decades,\u201d and well above the typical price, which ranged from $25 to $35 as recently as last summer.



Why Avocados Are So Expensive | So Expensive




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