As heard on Brooke and Bic Mornings . . . the cost of avocados might go up, way up. And the timing for this is . . . Guacward!
You may have missed this little bit of irony during the big game on Sunday: There was a Super Bowl ad this year for “Avocados from Mexico,” where a bunch of Romans were tailgating outside the Colosseum. Andy Richter played Caesar (watch the ad below).
Well, right before the game, the U.S. government BANNED Mexican avocado imports. So . . . that was $7 million well spent.
Here’s the reason behind the ban: Mexican drug cartels have been trying to extort avocado growers, and a U.S. food inspector got a threatening message on his phone, possibly a death threat. So that’s what prompted the ban, which is only temporary. But even a short-term ban could cause the price of avocados to go way up.
Fun fact: About 80% of the avocados we eat come from Mexico. The other 20% are grown in California. Back in 2019, one expert claimed the U.S. would run out of avocados in THREE WEEKS if imports from Mexico suddenly stopped. And at the time, Politico rated that claim as “mostly true.” So stay tuned if you’re an avocado fan.