California avocado prices could rise to $3 a piece
Produce Express owner and general manager Jim Boyce said avocado prices may climb to $1.50 in the coming week and could reach $2.50 to $3 per fruit after retail markup toward the end of August – roughly double what’s typical during that time – before imported fruit can start to ease the shortage and lower costs.
“It’ll hurt the restaurant industry,” Boyce said. “We may see some (businesses) add a surcharge for avocados, add or increase the price of a turkey avocado sandwich. We may even see some take them off their menu.”
At grocery stores, he expects customers to shift toward other items: “They’ll say, ‘I’ll buy nacho cheese instead,’” he said.
California’s projected avocado crop for this year is 215 million pounds, a dramatic drop from last year’s crop of 400 million pounds. Mexican growers are also sending less fruit than usual, according to Boyce.
source: sacbee.com
