據(jù)外媒報道，近幾周以來，澳大利亞人喜愛的牛油果（Avocado）一直缺貨，其價格不斷走高，目前已達到7澳元一個。業(yè)界稱這是因為夏天雨水和山火所致，但根據(jù)調查，目前短缺是由于人為市場操縱造成。
據(jù)報道，媒體調查發(fā)現(xiàn)，牛油果供應不足是蔬果產業(yè)為在圣誕節(jié)期間促銷，實行市場操縱造成的。
澳大利亞鱷梨協(xié)會前會長艾倫（Antony Allen）稱，我認為這是一個錯誤。市場銷售人員的意愿是好的，但操作有誤，造成了現(xiàn)在的局面。西澳鱷梨種植園在夏季為澳大利亞供應大多數(shù)的鱷梨，當?shù)匾恍┓N植者誤以為圣誕節(jié)后消費者對鱷梨的需求會下降，所以在圣誕節(jié)前提供了大量的鱷梨。
部分原文報道如下：
For weeks the avocado industry has blamed rain and bushfires for Australia's summer shortage, which has seen wholesale prices double, retail prices spike to $7 per fruit, and avocado rationing.
But Fairfax Media can reveal the supply crisis was the industry's own doing; a result of market manipulation aimed to boost sales in the lead-up to Christmas.
“I think it was an innocent mistake,” said Antony Allen, former chief executive of Avocados Australia and president of the International Avocado Society. “It was done with the best intentions. It's a misunderstanding of how the markets work, and now we're in uncharted territory.”
