California's drought may spell the demise of this tasty treat
Avocados (which are technically a berry, not a fruit or vegetable) have proliferated in California over recent years, thanks to their increased popularity as of late. Unfortunately, these delicious darlings of Instagram require a lot of water to grow, and California's drought may spell doom for the mighty avocado.
Drought-ridden farmers across the state are finding themselves with no choice but to chop down their trees and let their fields die, because the water simply isn't there. And as water prices rise, so will the price of produce - including avocados.
More so than grocery staples like lettuce or carrots, avocados are more of a discretionary, luxury grocery item. Which means that avocado buyers are more likely to accept higher prices for them, being a less price-sensitive market on the whole.
And if the California drought continues? Will avocados be grown elsewhere in the country? California happens to have the perfect climate for avocados, and the next likely scenario is that our avocados will all be imported from South America. And unfortunately, avocados that have to be shipped across the world are both expensive and terrible.
But rejoice for now, because avocados are plentiful and relatively cheap. Tomorrow - who knows?