While avocado prices in New Zealand have seen a marked increase over the past few months, the cost of the popular fruit appears to have now reached an all-time high - at NZ$10 (US$6.30) a piece, reports the NZ Herald.

One Auckland greengrocer is selling large avocados for NZ$9.99 each, or a tray of two smaller ones for NZ$8.99. The cheapest avocado it has on sale is for NZ$7.99.

Local Auckland business La Fuente, a Mexican restaurant, has especially felt the sting of rising avocado prices, so much so that it had to axe a popular guacamole dish from its menu at the end of February. Co-owner Edmundo Farrera said he made the decision to avoid passing the costs into his customers.

According to the NZ Herald, the prices have 'catapulted' since the beginning of the year, from NZ$1 to NZ$2, then NZ$2.50 to around NZ$4.50 per fruit.

Ordinarily, the restaurant would buy a single avocado from suppliers for between 50 cents and NZ$1.

Though avocados are known to fluctuate in price, such changes are rarely so drastic or so early into the season, reports the NZ Herald.

New Zealand Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular commented that avocado prices fluctuated throughout the season and according to crop volumes.

"We have recently had a medium volume season and supply is particularly low at the moment," Scoular was quoted as saying.

"Avocado harvest runs August to February, and there is a very low supply of avocados in New Zealand right now as we are outside of the main season. They are a seasonal fruit, which means there is limited supply during the winter months.

"However, we expect to see new season Hass avocados available from late July."

Scoular could not confirm if NZ$10 per fruit was an all-time high but said the industry was responding to demand and investing heavily into new plantings of avocados which would be ready to harvest in the next two years.

New Zealand does not import avocados due to risk of biosecurity threats, according to the article.

Read the full article here.