Availability of fresh vegetables and fruit

Billie

New member
Feb 19, 2003
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I am planning on moving to the DR shortly and would like to know the availability of fresh vegetables and fruit? I am currently living in Antigua and it's impossible to get fresh or local fruits and vegetables.

Would appreciate any information.
Billie
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
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It depends on where you are going to settle. But, in most cases you will find an ample supply of fresh fruits and veggies, especially in the open air markets and roadside stands, cheap. Regards, PJT
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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Hi Billie,

it's not a problem here. Good quality fruit and veg are readily available.

The subject has been covered here in the past so you could do a search on it.

Chiri
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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They are available here, Billie, but the variety will depend in part on where you are located and your access to the vendors who sell what they raise/pick. If you get your fruit and vegetables at a good-sized supermarket, you will have sufficient to meet your needs. If you are also in reach of a farmers market, or the roadside stalls of people in the country, or live in a neighborhood serviced by farmers in their pickup trucks, then you will be able to get items usually not sold in supermarkets.
 

JOHNNY HONDA

Motorcycle MANIAC
Sep 25, 2002
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Yo Billie

You wont have a problem with fresh produce here,personally I get almost all my fruit in my yard but this is a lot bigger and more green island than Antigua.When are you making the move and why.What are your plans?Dont be shy we aim to help serious posters and screw with wankers minds.One good thing island mentality is very similar even though cultures on various Islans vary so you have a head start on most who move here.Welcome to the board.
Johnny:bandit:
 

Billie

New member
Feb 19, 2003
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Thanks for the information

It certainly sounds like an abundance of good produce. Thanks so much everybody for your responses. Because of my interest in the Dominican Republic I have attracted a few other excellent people into investigating the possibilities of relocating to the DR. It seems to be a good place. Especially for those on a limited or fixed income.

Have a great day,
Billie
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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Hi Billie,

If you are thinking of investigating the North Coast, BushBaby is the unofficial 'official' tour leader in the Puerto Plata area and can help a lot with financial planning. If you're around the Cabarete area, send me an e-mail and we'll meet and share a few stories or beers or whatever.

One of my decision criteria to come to the DR was the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables. Not just the availability, but the quality as well. I'm in fruit and veg heaven!
 

Billie

New member
Feb 19, 2003
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Thanks Chris

I can relate to deciding on a location because of the produce. Here in Antigua we can only get fruit at this time out of a can or frozen. Vegetables are extremely limited. The reason is there is no agriculture here. This is the only island in the Caribbean that does not have local agriculture. I really don't know why you can't get fruit at this time. But it has been two months since we could get anything other than Apples.

I have contacted Bushbaby and he has been enormous help. I am looking at relocating to the DR as soon as my house sells here in Antigua. This is not a good location for vacation or residency. The cost-of-living is enormous. Also the people here are just not friendly. You may find a few good people but you have to go through a lot of corruption and violence here. This island has the worst reputation in the Caribbean. But at least it taught me to investigate thoroughly a country before moving.

I recommend anyone looking to relocate to a new country do their homework.

Regards,
Billie
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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This is the only island in the Caribbean that does not have local agriculture

Try the Turks and Caicos Islands - they grow absolutely nada, not even a measly banana tree. If the weekly boat from Miami does not get in, you don't even get apples - and fresh products are enormously expensive. I've always thought that some local DR entrepeneur with a boat should take fruit and veg from here and sell it there. Its only about 90 miles away.
 

Billie

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Feb 19, 2003
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Turks and Caicos Islands

I had never heard of these two islands. But it sounds like the same story here if the boat doesn't coming from Miami forget it. They get most everything out of Miami here. Even though they do I still don't understand the lack of fruits and vegetables because I know Florida has everything. I really miss oranges. The only oranges you can get here are from Dominica and they are green and taste like lemons, ugh.

Makes you long for this simple things in life, lol.

Thanks for the education today I learned about islands that I had never heard of as well as their lack of agriculture.

Billie
 

PJT

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Jan 8, 2002
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You will find plenty, .......plenty of oranges here, cheap. In fact you can buy them along the road and street corners already pealed and ready to eat. Regards, PJT
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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To Chris and billie

Chris: We do ship a lot of stuff to Turks and Caicos. Everything from limes to cement and rebar.

Billie: We have just about every fruit that can be grown in the tropics, plus nuts. Since we have high, cold mountain valleys, we have potatos, Broccoli, Cauliflower(?), celery, carrots, spring peas, long beans, green beans, chinese and normal fruits, mushrooms, onions of all types garlic, plus all the root crops, bananas plantains, tree fruits like mangos (maybe 30 varieties?), figs, breadfruit, passion fruit, tamarind, and all the herbs you could want....

Yeah, we eat well here.....

HB
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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We do ship a lot of stuff to Turks and Caicos. Everything from limes to cement and rebar.
from HillBilly

Yeah, last time I was there I ate some of the rebar and it did not taste like banana at all ;)

I know of a couple of 'banana boats' that come in every week or so with 'hard goods' mostly. I think there is space for much more trade between the two islands if it can be done reliably and on-time. I lived there for a year and Richard still travels to and fro every couple of weeks.

From what I heard in terms of fruit and veg, is that it has been tried but the supply from the DR has not been reliable and the quality has been unacceptable. They are used to US type packaging and merchandising. So, no-one is really interested in doing business with an unreliable supplier. This is what I heard and I always thought it is a pity. The DR has in abundance what the next island 90 miles away lacks. Surely some enterprising person can fill this gap.
 

mobrouser

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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billie, forget the fruits and vegetables. you will be too busy trying the assorted domestic brands of beer and rum to be concerned about produce. unlike Antigua, RD has more than one beer and rum available-check the archives here.

mob :classic:

(wadadli has to be one of the more creative names for a beer that i've seen.)
 

Billie

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Feb 19, 2003
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Can't wait to try the beer and rum!!!

Dear Mob:

I loved your response!!! Wadadli is the name the natives call themselves here in Antigua. Hence the name of the beer! Especially the Rastafarians. There are many new words I have learned here in Antigua. The Rastafarians call themselves Itol people. Refer to their food as Itol food. They are vegetarians.

It's funny how much you miss things you cannot have. I truly miss fresh fruit and vegetables.

I look forward to moving to the Dominican Republic very much.

Regards,
Billie