Vegemite and avocado on toast is now considerably more expensive. "Avocados are a little unusual in that they won't ripen until they're picked. You have some flexibility," he said. Producers kept wholesale prices artificially low at about $45 for a 5.5-kilogram tray, leading to reasonable retail prices and very healthy sales, he said. "They were artificially keeping it lower. And that's great for that period, but doing that meant we used up more avocado before Christmas and therefore had less after Christmas," he said. "Some of the sheds out of WA implemented that decision. It was something that seemed very strange to the rest of the industry."

Brisbane shop posts sign to warn consumers. Credit:The Avolution That decision has led to a dearth of avocados in January, massive price jumps, and consumer outrage. Rainy weather, Mr Allen said, had exacerbated the shortage by delaying harvest. Australians have more than doubled their yearly intake of the fruit to 3.2 kilograms in the past decade, Avocados Australia said. Avocado limit imposed in Brisbane store. Credit:Kim Stephens John Tyas​, chief executive of peak industry body Avocados Australia, said he was not aware of the market manipulation by some West Australian growers and maintained the shortage was primarily caused by bad weather and high demand.

"I do know there have been big volumes coming through the system since early spring. So that continued right into summer, and basically supply has been provided to meet demand in that time," he said. John Tyas from Avocados Australia Credit:Avocados Australia "A lot of the big volumes go through the major chains anyway and whatever happens there is really dictated by their marketing strategies. But I'm not aware of any of that." Chris Cope from the Sydney Market Reporting Service said avocado prices had gone through the roof in the past month and were now "worth a bomb". Avolution chief executive Antony Allen. Credit:The Avolution

He said some wholesale vendors were cheekily inflating prices to dissuade overly enthusiastic buyers who were ready to buy pallets worth. He said they were trying to protect relationships with their regular customers. "It's gone a little bit crazy. Even the merchants say it's gotten too much," he said. Avocado supply issues are expected to ease in March. Credit:Avocados Australia Melbourne Market wholesaler Greg Scopelleti​ said the price of a box of up to 23 avocados had reached as high as $120. At the cheapest, when avocados are plentiful, they can be as little as $20 a tray. A regular price is $30 to $40.

"It hasn't happened like this for 20 years. It's finishing as of this week ... I've sold my last box for the season," said Mr Scopelleti, whose family owns an avocado farm in the Sunraysia region of Victoria. "Avocados used to be a bit of luxury. Now they have become a staple, people substitute it for butter, have it on toast, salads." Despite high retail prices, some shops are enforcing purchase limits. The Gabba Fruit Market in Woolloongabba in Brisbane has imposed a limit of six avocados per person at $5.49 each. Mr Allen said he saw an independent greengrocer in Indooroopilly, also a Brisbane suburb, with a harsher restriction of three per customer.

In supermarkets, shoppers can buy avocados for about $4 each, but Harris Farms is selling Australian-grown avocados at $6.99 each. Mr Allen said the food service industry was being hit particularly hard, especially sushi and Mexican restaurants where avocado is a staple. Stephanie Raco, who runs the Sydney food truck Cantina Movil, has protected herself from price rises by using frozen avocados. She made the decision four years ago. "We have been Mexican restaurateurs for a long time - for a decade and a half - and we were used to the price fluctuations and the variations in their quality, so we have learnt to outsmart the system," she said. Australia also relies on New Zealand imports, but the rain there has added to this year's supply woes because harvesting in wet weather ruins the fruit.

Industry players believe the supply issues will ease about March, as fruit from Queensland enters the supply chain.