With cafes and restaurants closed, New Zealand has a surplus of avocados and shoppers can expect to find the fruit in supermarkets for longer – and at lower prices – than usual, local website Stuff reports.

NZ Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular said 20 - 30% of New Zealand's avocados would usually go to foodservice and independent fruit stores at this time of year.

With the coronavirus lockdown completely eliminating those options and the export season already over, that fruit would have to be sent to supermarkets.

However, changes to shopping habits as lockdown loomed meant fewer avocados were sold.

"On top of the loss of those sales channels, demand fell at retail as consumers focused on dry goods and staples," Scoular was quoted as saying.

As New Zealanders settled into lockdown life, supermarket demand was returning to normal and shoppers could expect good prices. 

"There is that extra supply so we'd expect prices to be lower but we're also trying to keep them low because people have reduced incomes," she said. 

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