Are Avocados On Their Way Out?

2018 was a big year for avocados—avo on toast, in smoothies, on salad, with eggs (the list goes on). And for good reason. They taste great, they became trendy, and they are known for benefits like reducing premature aging in the skin, boosting brain health, increasing weight loss, and improving cardiovascular health.

As we turn the corner into 2019, though, it turns out the avocado trend may be on the way out.

In October, one of the top avocado growers in Australia predicted that avocado prices had peaked and we would begin to see them plateau and decline as demand decreased and supply increased.

And that seems to be what's happened since then. A new report in the Wall Street Journal tells us agriculture stocks are plummeting because of lower demand for avocados in December and January.

"Compared with last year's extraordinary avocado market conditions (during which consumer demand significantly outstripped available supply), we encountered a challenging year-over-year environment in the most recent quarter, in which industry prices fell sharply over 11 weeks during the period," said Lecil E. Cole, CEO and president of Calavo Growers in a news release in December.

The question is why?

It could have to do with people putting their money elsewhere because they're over the craze, or perhaps they're prioritizing other needs. In December the Consumer Price Index found that from November 2017 to November 2018, prices in the United States increased for necessities such as electricity, gasoline, food, shelter, and medical care.

GOBankingRates conducted a survey of 5,000 people in August and found that in 13 U.S. states, people are "spending more than 50 percent of their income on necessities." 

And avocados may not be one of them.

mbg's food director Liz Moody points out, "Because of avocado's health benefits and versatility, it's not a trend-based flash in the pan. Even if sales are declining, it's likely just because the fervor reached fever pitch and is settling into a more natural place. The avocado isn't going anywhere."

While we're not sure exactly why people are not as interested in the green fruit anymore, if you're not ready to give them up, this could be good news for you: Avocado prices are expected to continue to drop, and it won't be hard to find them at your grocery store.

There are a ton of new ways you can incorporate avocado into your diet. You'll also want to consider using all of your avocado, meaning even the pit. The pit actually houses the majority of the antioxidants to keep your skin glowing, is high in fiber, which can aid digestion, and could reduce high cholesterol. To get these benefits, you can blend the pit into a smoothie or grate it onto a dish.