An abrupt drop in Mexican avocado volumes is bringing good prices for California growers, according to a weekly update by California Avocado Society.

The Ventura-based non-profit reported a 15% increase in California avocado yields for last week, with field quotes rising about 25% in the past two weeks.

With this, California avocado field prices are the highest they’ve been all season. 

Higher temperatures are urging producers in southern California to harvest more heavily, and the organization is projecting a 13-14 million pound harvest for the first week of July.

Late season Mexican avocado imports amounted to only 25 million pounds, and the more ripe fruit quality shortens its shelf-life. 

This has left the U.S. market craving for more, but shipments from California and Peru remain too low to supply the growing demand.

With the Fourth of July arriving, the sector worries about low inventories, as volumes currently sit below 50 million pounds. 

The imbalance in the market may require several weeks to right itself, the non-profit says.

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“The Loca crop was unable to fill the gap left by the Mexican sector, because it wasn’t released for export to the U.S. until this week. Jalisco’s Mendez crop also was released for export this week,” California Avocado Society says in its release. 

As for varieties, GEM-brand from Westfalia has slowed as its season winds down. Lamb Hass is catching this good pricing window just as harvest ramps up. 

Mexico’s supplies are expected to bounce back in a few weeks.