For a country that thinks avocado on toast is a basic human right, this is bad news. Australia is in the midst of an avocado shortage, with prices pushing upwards of $6 per fruit.

It’s a double-punch of seasonality and increased demand, says Graeme Twine of Suncoast Fresh, a fresh producer wholesaler whose clients include the NOMA pop-up in Australia.

“Basically, avocados are out of season – it’s the end of the season for Western Australian crops, and while we are getting some great quality fruit, there’s not a lot of it,” he says.

“Between December and January, most of our supply comes from New Zealand, but we’re only receiving about 10 percent of our usual supply, and the fruit is a bit watery.”

The good news? There is more than one avocado, and they have different seasons. Australians dose heavily on hass avocados, but it’s time to broaden our horizons.

Shepard avocados come into season next, says Twine, but traditionally the fruit isn’t ready to eat until late February – still six weeks away.

“Farmers will be tempted to pick the Shepard variety early, but it won’t be ready. Look out for Western Australian hass, if you can find it, because it is eating magnificently, but I think they will get to $6 or $7 each, depending on the size.

The key message? Like other produce, avocado is seasonal, and we can’t have what we want all the time.

“The shortage will get worse for the next two weeks, then it will settle, but the quality will drop, so you’ve just got to ride the wave. Be patient and wait until the end of February.”

So what should you eat now avocado toast is off the menu? Check out seasonal guide for January here.