AVOCADO AND COCONUT WATER PRICES HIT A HIGH

Avocados are a climacteric fruit, meaning they mature on the tree but ripen off it

Avocados are the Aztec symbol of fertility as they grow in pairs and cannot pollinate if other trees aren’t near them

The avocado has the highest fibre of any fruit, no cholesterol and no sugar – but it is 23pc fat

Coconut water comes from young green coconuts. It can also be fermented to make coconut vinegar

In the Second World War, troops were given medical drips of coconut water to rehydrate them when saline was not available

Tennis player John Isner credited coconut water with keeping him on his feet for his record 11-hour match at Wimbledon in 2010

THEIR supposed benefits as superfoods have made them fashionable in the West, but the prices of avocados and coconut water are set to climb.

The wholesale price of both has soared to record highs because of the seemingly insatiable demand.

Consumers have fallen for avocados because they have zero cholesterol and are seen as a healthy diet food, while coconut water, which President Obama was this week seen sipping ( pictured), has become a hit as it is supposed to rehydrate you quicker.

But this popularity can come at a cost. Avocado prices jumped from about 86 cents in January to above $1.25, caused by a continuing rise in demand in Europe and, recently, China.

Meanwhile, it has been a disastrous year for the crop in Mexico – one of the biggest producers alongside Chile and Peru – with huge swathes wiped out by bad weather.

The demand for coconut water has put pressure on the crop in the Philippines, the world’s biggest producer. It harvests young coconuts to produce the water, but this is hitting the cost of coconut oil, which is made from older coconuts.