Fruity question

J

John Evans

Guest
If one was buying fruit from a roadside stall what would be a rough average normal price---- I ask this question because I seem to be paying way over the odds for most things as my bargaining skills are not very good - I have been known to pay more than they ask lol.

cost for an individual banana, papaya,pineapple ect would be most helpful
 

leekiv

New member
Mar 5, 2007
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lol John

Made me giggle when I seen the title " Fruity Question" :cheeky: Sorry don't know an answer for you but had to say thanks for making me chuckle in the am.;)
 

TravelHippo

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Mar 24, 2008
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Like leekiv, I don't have the answers....sorry! But I do look forward to the answers, as I too was always paying too much for my fruits and veggies at the stands in Honduras, and else where. So I am sure it will be handy for many of us to find out the average costs.
 
J

John Evans

Guest
I should imagine hippos get through quite a bit of fruit
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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1) Go to a Supermarket where the prices are posted.
2) Go to a fruit stand where they are not.
3) Tell the guy you know what they are at Such and Such Supermercado....

Prices vary day to day.

Other possible solution: Make friends with one of the sellers at the local market, get the "scoop" ....

Another one: Go to the major market places with a Dominican friend. Make a note of the prices. this will serve as a "base price" ...

Remember prices change from day to day, government foul up (not to use that 4 letter word), or atmospheric phenomena.

HB
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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learn good spanish and it will solve all of your problems here.
AZB
 
J

John Evans

Guest
I will set aside tomorrow to learn good spanish- not sure how it will help with prices of fruit...but I'll give it a go
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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When you speak english, the prices go up everywhere. now when you speak spanish, prices become domincian prices. hahahaha. but you knew that already.
AZB
 
J

John Evans

Guest
there isnt a lot of fruit in the supermarkets in sosua to compare prices- also its also very expensive-theres only so long you can go on paying 5 times more than everyone else for everrything
 

oriole100

Bronze
Oct 9, 2005
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Go in the morning. More to pick from and buy during the week if you can. Less tourists. That when we get the best prices, but the always very.
 

jrzyguy

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May 5, 2004
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i am with the OP on this one. i HATE to haggle...but i DO do it. ie when someone tries to sell me a necklace on the beach that i know i can get in NYC for 5 dollars.

When I am in the DR my friend who lives there usually does the food shopping. I am sure he takes a few pesos for himself...but i am sure i save money in the long run.

I give him 500 pesos my first day (for groceries)...and then he cooks for me for about 9 days. pulpo, pescado, pasta...you name it. Considering a pizza or a plate of shrimp goes for about 300 pesos...i think i get a good deal.

I have often wondered about the price of fruit tho. there are sometime when i am solo and want a mango or something. I hate to be over charged...but my spanish is just so-so (better than the avg gringo tho).

I think the idea of going to a supermarcardo FIRST is a good idea. Or why not just ask someone where you are staying. I always ask the price for the guagua from people i know. that way i have the exact fare. I think it should be the same for fruta. Know the price..that way when someone tries to rip you off you can tell them to go to hell.

A friend of mine (no spanish) went to the beach one afternoon and got charged 400 pesos for two presidentes. oooooh...when i go there i let that man have it!!!!

ok...with all that being said (i am rambling again). what ARE the general prices for a papaya, mango, avacado, banana etc? I pay 25 cents for a banana on the streets of NYC...about 5 dollars for a large papaya here.
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
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I bought some bananas the other day in the supermarket. They were clearly marked at 3.25 pesos each. They were on the small side and I am talking about a supermarket in Puerto Plata.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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yahoomail.com
Learn To Speak "SPANISH"!!! AND "Dominican"!

You will only,and ALWAYS, be a "Tourista" in the DR until you learn Spanish/"Dominican"!
It is always BEST to learn "Proper Spanish" first,so you don't look like a "Hillbilly"/ "Campesino/Chopo" when talking to "upper-class" dominicans! (Sorry "Hillbilly"!) But then most of you only want to converse with "lowclass" dominicans anyway! (95% of the population!)
I pay the same price,or less than, the average dominican when I buy,"On-The-Street"! But then,I "pretend" to like the dominican seller,and talk like a "Ghetto Chopo" to them! If you buy fruit from the same guy everyday,soon he will start to give you more,better qualty, fruit than he did at first! Buy "jonny cakes" from the same guy every day,and they will have more "Mystery Meat" filling than at first! I don't know if that is a "Plus", or a "Minus"!
Have sex with the same hooker all the time,and.............."Oh!" I better not go there!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Fruit prices vary dramatically depending on season etc. Current prices are:

Bananas (yellow) 3-4 RD$
Melon - 20-30
Papaya 10-12 RD$ lb
Pineapple 25-30
Mangos (still expensive) around 7-8 for Goto de Oro

matilda
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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I laugh when I see these people talking about "Papaya" ...in Dominican Spanish that means "pu$$*", and if you can get one for RD$40, you are really a good talker!!!! Sorry, but here we use the word "lechosa" for that fruit.
We have a guy at the corner stop light that sells pretty good fruits. I will buy a bag of red "cerezas" (acerolas) for RD$40 or RD$50, a "Lechosa" for RD$50 and a Pineapple for about the same.. But I don't care, the guy is nice and polite and we (the neighborhood) sort of take care of him.
I could go down to Los Hospedaje and get these items for less, but parking, hassles and the crowds...why bother?

After the events surrounding OLGA (Vote for Leonel!! The guy that brought you Olga and Tavera!! Right into your house!!!!!) the banana crops and plantains were heavily damaged. It takes several months to get production back if the farm was not totally destroyed, else you are talking 10-11 months. That's why bananas are so dear now.

We paid RD$204 for a bag of 30 limes last week at PriceSmart... Oranges are cheaper.

Your best bet is to go to POP and visit the market up on the hill there. Take a Dominican friend with you. Smile, Be nice. Learn names and prices...You'll learn a lot and probably save plenty. Or go to Gaspar Hernandez, not so touristy....be surprised...

HB
 

london777

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Dec 22, 2005
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Your best bet is to go to POP and visit the market up on the hill there.
Thanks for all the info in your post, HB. Could someone kindly describe more precisely the location of this market? Is it a general street market for all goods, or for agricultural produce only? Is it open every day or only on certain days of the week?
 
J

John Evans

Guest
I didnt particularly want to know the cheapest- just to make sure i wasnt paying 5 times the amount- thank you for all the information so far...i will be careful when eating "papaya" in a public place.

by the way I laugh when Americans mention their fanny ..so it works both ways
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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www.ginniebedggood.com
Could someone kindly describe more precisely the location of this market? Is it a general street market for all goods, or for agricultural produce only? Is it open every day or only on certain days of the week?

Up behind the 'star' market (building which looks like a down market version of Sydney Opera House :cheeky:) - Star market is the tourist place, fruit & veg market is behind it, same road as the water board, CORAPLAATA. If I say not all that far from Mountainview does that mean something? Open every day. For a general street market you want the Pulga, different location.