Australian avocado prices soar as supply goes pear-shaped

Sydney

WHILE prices for most Australian commodities are bumping along the floor, local avocados are fetching a king's ransom thanks to hostile weather, strict quarantine laws and a Christmas binge.

Outside South and Central America, where the fruit is native, Australia has the highest per-capita consumption in the world, at an annual 3.2 kilogrammes, or about 15 fruits, according to industry body Avocados Australia.