Avocado, lime and chile see big spikes in prices

Published January 16th, 2022

In the midst of record inflation, prices are on the rise. One tragic victim of the increases is guacamole: avocado, lime and chile, three key ingredients of the beloved green dip, have become significantly more expensive.

In Mexico City, chile prices ranged from 40 pesos (US $1.97) for a kilo of jalapeños to 125 pesos (US $6.15) per kilo for green chile de árbol, according to Mexico’s consumer protection agency Profeco. Avocados cost 67 pesos (US $3.30) per kilo on average, and a kilo of Colima limes cost an average of 62 pesos (US $3.05).

Lime prices in particular have seen dizzying increases in the past several weeks, hitting 80 pesos (US $3.94) per kilo in many areas of the country. In the second week of January, limes cost an average of 70 pesos (US $3.44) per kilo nationally. During the same period in 2021, the same quantity cost 18 pesos (US $0.88).

Grupo Consultor de Mercados Agrícolas (GCMA), an agricultural consulting group, blamed the price increase on low production. In some areas, limes are out of season, they said. In other places, like Michoacán, the fruit is in the season but production is abnormally low this year due to a variety of problems, including unusual climate events and hurricane-damaged fruit.

Lime prices have also taken a hit due to the removal of a government subsidy and a lack of natural disaster relief, the group said.

In the case of avocados, prices could increase further as demand rises in early February, prior to the Super Bowl.

The price spikes come in the midst of high inflation in Mexico and around the world. Nationally, annual inflation hit 7.37% in November, its highest level in more than 20 years. In December, the Bank of México forecast a 7.1% end-of-year inflation rate.

Maximum, minimum, and average prices of a variety of goods in cities around the country can be referenced on the Profeco website.