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Alert! a Legit Avocado Shortage Is Upon Us, so We’re All at Risk of Toast Withdrawal

Tehrene Firman

November 15, 2018

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Photo: Stocksy/Marti Sans

Every so often, the avocado-loving population (i.e., all of us) goes into full-on panic mode over attention-grabbing headlines about price hikes and shortfalls in production alike. And in turn, those affordable avo-toast dreams slip away unceremoniously. But by some miracle, nothing ever straight-up stopped you from getting your fix. Well, maybe until now, that is.

According to Bloomberg, there's a legit avocado shortage on the horizon that could keep you from finding the green fruit at your grocery store. Due to a price dispute between top avocado growers in Mexico and packing companies, growers have reportedly stopped harvesting the fruit, and because of that, avocado deliveries to the United States have halted—for weeks now. It's not only the US that's affected, either. Shipments have ceased to the other top two avocado-buying countries, too: Canada and Japan.

Even though a pricing resolution has since been made, don't expect things to self-correct instantly. The suspended shipments have affected Food Lion (which has supermarkets in 10 states), Firehouse Subs, and the healthy restaurant chain Dig Inn (which has taken avocados off its menu for the time being), among others. According to Rob Wedin, vice president of sales and marketing for Calavo Growers Inc., it could take a while for the fruit to make its way back into your diet.

"The first avocados will reach the border this weekend. Many, many more will be needed to get supplies back to normal. Many avocados will not be ripened until after Thanksgiving." —Rob Wedin, VP of sales and marketing for an avocado distributor

"The first avocados will reach the border this weekend. Many, many more will be needed to get supplies back to normal," he tells The Packer. "This will take weeks. Many avocados will not be ripened until after Thanksgiving."

So if you see avocados at your grocery store, stock up now. And hopefully those bins will be fully-loaded again soon with prices that don't take up your entire monthly food budget.

This grab-and-go avocado toast is an adult millennial's answer to Lunchables. Or meet toastless avocado "toast," the simplified breakfast dish taking Hollywood by storm.