So batshit crazy are people for a good avocado, that when an avocado shortage hit New Zealand following an increase in demand - which to some guacamole enthusiasts is akin to the world's end - the country had to deal with a new wave of crime. People weren't robbing banks so that they could afford the more costly fruits, they took to stealing the avocados themselves.
And this isn't just one ripe avocado swiped from your neighbour's fruit bowl; these are large scale robberies carried out at major orchards. According to The Guardian, since January, there have been as many as 40 counts of robbery from New Zealand avocado orchards - well, 40 that have been reported, heaven knows how many have gone undetected - with more than 350 avocados stolen at any one time. That's a whole lot of guac.
If you were in doubt about the rise in popularity of the humble avocado, it was reported that in 2015, an additional 96,000 homes got majorly into their avocado game, resulting in an economic crisis where the supply could no longer meet the demand. What's more, if you think you know everything about avocados, did you know that they're technically classified as a berry? They also contain more potassium than a banana, so be sure to watch your intake.
In the meantime, if you find yourself in Auckland any time soon, be careful where you eat your avos; Sergeant Aaron Fraser of Waihi says: "These stolen avocados can carry risks. They are unripe, some have been sprayed recently and they may still carry toxins on the skin. But with the prices so high at the moment, the potential for profit is a strong inducement for certain individuals."
And just to irk you even more, this writer loathes avocados entirely. For her, they're bland and their texture is gross. She laments the pre-avocado days when it wasn't the foremost food on every single menu in the God damn world.
Via The Guardian.
