Why Are Avocados So Expensive in India? [2023]

Avocado, often called “green gold”, has taken the world by storm in recent years. The creamy texture and usefulness make it one of the best additions to everything from toasts to salads. Avagado hindi name in India is ” Makhanphal“

It is also called a superfood because of its high nutritional value. But when we adore avocados, one question often disturbs” Why is Avocado so expensive in India?” Let’s go into a puzzle that seems simple but is complex.

Avocado is also called “nature’s butter” and has become very popular across the world and graces the plates of consumers who are health-conscious and food enthusiasts. But all comes with a high price tag.

Know about the market price of Avocados in India in 2023

India is an importer of avocados, and it is doing so to meet the demand for the fruit. Even though the country has a variable climate, it is mainly having a sub-tropical climate in the north and a tropical climate in the South.

If you have a question in mind that is avagado grown in India, then yes but the commercial production of Avocados in India is limited. Most of the imported avocado that are sold in India is found in supermarkets.

 The highest number of customers of Avocados are located in cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi. Small retail outlets, wholesale markets and some street vendors across India also trade for small quantities of Avocados.

The avocado price in India per kg is between Rs.200 and Rs.300, which is based on the average import price per KG. In the recent past, the wholesale price went as high as Rs.306 per KG. Just like any other fruit, the retail price of one avocado varied based on the seller. Indians can buy imported avocados throughout the year as they are obtained from a few nations.

Avocado Price in India depends on the time of supply, and India imports avocado during the summer months, March to May. In small amounts, it is obtained from June to September in those countries where the Avocado season comes later.

Health benefits of Avocados

Avocados, which are technically a fruit, offer several vital nutrients. They decrease the risk of getting cardiovascular disease and obesity. They also enhance cognitive function and digestive health. Here are some potential benefits of eating Avocados and also a significant answer to why avocados are so expensive 2023:

Gives a boost to satiety

When you eat healthy fats, it assists in slowing down the emptying of the stomach and keeps you full longer than usual. This feeling is known as satiety, and if you add half of an avocado to your meal, it helps boost the satiety for five hours.

Assist in managing body weight

Consuming a single avocado in a day along with a calorie-controlled diet for about 12 weeks helps in the management of body weight. Moreover, fats like avocado offer antioxidants and fight off inflammation, which in turn is linked to healthy weight.

Keeps your heart healthy

Eating avocado offers protection to your heart by enhancing the lipid profile. It decreases cholesterol and triglycerides. Avocados are also a good source of potassium, which assists in reducing blood pressure.

Boosts Nutrients

Eating avocado at mealtime assists your body in absorbing antioxidants from healthy foods. If you pair up tomato sauce and carrots with avocado, it increases vitamin A absorption, which is an essential nutrient for immunity, healthy skin and vision power.

Avocado’s Nutritional Value

One entire avocado without its seed and the skin offers these nutrients:

•          Calories: 322 calories

•          Protein: 4 grams

•          Carbohydrates: 17 grams

•          Folate: 163 micrograms

•          Vitamin K: 42 micrograms

•          Vitamin C: 20 milligrams

•          Vitamin E: 4 milligrams

•          Potassium: 975 milligrams

•          Magnesium: 58 milligrams

Top Reasons Why Are Avocados So Expensive in India

Climatic restrictions

Avocado trees mainly survive in subtropical and tropical climates, which is primarily prevalent in countries such as Mexico and a few parts of South America.

The varied environment of India makes it difficult to cultivate avocados, which limits the regions where avocados can be grown. Maximum Avocados that are consumed in India are imported from other countries, which drives up the costs because of transportation and import duties.

Fewer areas for cultivation

Avocado cultivation in India is limited when compared with other fruits such as mangoes and bananas. Because of this limitation in production, maximum avocados are imported. The cost of import, along with shipping, distribution and customs charges, are all then transferred to customers.

Available in some particular season

Avocado is a seasonal fruit, and its availability is sporadic. In seasons, the price might be low because of high supply, but in the off-season, when imports are the main source, prices start surging.

High health benefits

Avocados are highly considered a superfood because of their nutritional value, which includes healthy fat, high fibre and several vitamins and minerals. This increases the demand, thereby allowing the sellers to go for high prices.

High cost of import

Those avocados that are imported into India include varied charges such as customs duties and tax, along with expenses of transportation. These extra costs are then passed on to consumers’ pockets, thereby contributing to total price hikes.

Concerns in relation to the environment and ethics

Most recently, concerns about the environmental effect of avocado cultivation have gained attention. Even if this is not a direct reason for high prices, it still leads to enhanced scrutiny and regulations, thereby affecting supply chains and expenses.

Limited choice of variety

Those who love eating avocados might be familiar with a variety of avocados, each of them having its flavour and characteristics. In India, the availability of these varieties is limited, which puts an impact on the pricing as customers might have few choices.

Seasonal fluctuations

Avocado prices are influenced by several factors, including weather-based disruptions in most of the avocado-producing countries. These fluctuations result in huge variability in the prices of Indian avocados.

Perishable and quality controlling issues

Avocados are very delicate and have a minimum shelf life. Maintenance of their quality at the time of storage and transportation needs careful management, which adds to overall costs.

Quality control measures also make sure that only ripened and unblemished avocados reach the market, resulting in high prices.

Tips for eating avocados

You can eat avocados either alone or you can add them to any dish, but there are several ways to enjoy them, which also include sweet dishes. Or else you can whip avocados to fruit smoothies or even chocolate pudding and then add it to fruit tacos.

Avocados can be used as a substitute for butter while baking something. Take one tablespoon of butter for brownies and even cupcakes for half a tablespoon of avocado.

This will slash calories, enhance the nutritional quality of goodies and also offer a creamy texture that gives you a satisfaction feeling.

Conclusion

To sum up, the cost of avocados in India is because of several factors. With growing demand and more regions in India exploring avocado cultivation, avocado prices might become more competitive.

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