Is it Possible to Find Good Produce?

British supermarkets are odd: they have the highest gross profit margins in Europe yet always have excellent produce sections with fruit and vegetables of high quality flown in from around the world.

At this time of year, as in previous years, they have stocked fruit from Argentina: normally that includes white-fleshed nectarines, blueberries and cherries.

As I type this after my lunch, I'm eating Argentine cherries which in London cost £8 or Pesos 38 per kg.

(And I'm sorry to contradict Syngirl about blueberries from Argentina, tho the current blueberries for sale are from Chile)

And UK supermarkets have spoilt me: I too have found it difficult to buy good fruit etc in BA, though I have eaten excellent fruit and vegetables in Bariloche.

I feel the explanation may be that the best produce is simply exported under long-term contract to bulk buyers (as was the case in The Netherlands for many years).
 
English supermarkets have the worst fruit & veg in europe. The produce buyers select food according to how pretty it looks on the shelves and how long it lasts, because shoppers prioritise aesthetics over taste. We get beautiful fruit & veg that can sit on the shelves for weeks, unbruised, unblemished, and tastes of nothing.

I think the produce is far better here. Just have to buy whats in season and find a good grocer.
 
Surprise....guys. But that once famous Beef has taken a fast slide down hill too. About 75% of Argentine beef is now finished in feed lots.
 
I am a self-confessed 'foodie' and I adore the quality of produce in northern California and Australia.

Certainly I have found that the best UK supermarkets sell very good produce, but then in London I buy food and produce at Waitrose and Marks & Spencer as well as in farmers markets. So I couldn't disagree more with JP's assertion. But I guess this isn't the place to argue about the UK.

My purpose in writing was simply to point out that Argentine fruit is sold widely here and, at least in my experience, is of high quality
 
Argentine fruit is very expensive which is strange considering that it is one of the breadbaskets of the world. The south of Argentina has the worlds best berries full of tremendous flavour but do you see these in Buenos Aires? If you are lucky to get the beautiful boysenberries or rasperries expect to pay 60 pesos a kilo which is an outrageous price considering the quantity produced here.
 
pericles said:
Argentine fruit is very expensive which is strange considering that it is one of the breadbaskets of the world. The south of Argentina has the worlds best berries full of tremendous flavour but do you see these in Buenos Aires? If you are lucky to get the beautiful boysenberries or rasperries expect to pay 60 pesos a kilo which is an outrageous price considering the quantity produced here.

This is sadly true, and really it is the middle man who keeps most of the $. so I always try to cut him out ;) For example, you can buy berries straight from the Patagonia at MercadoLibre at fair prices, there are also hidden places where you can get good fruit super cheap ( try Paraguay almost Juan B Justo right next to the railroad, crazy cheap prices ) Fruit and veggies are not the best yet the most expensive at most supermarkets, so avoid them!
 
In London supermarkets today, Argentine blueberries of the 'Brigitta' variety are retailing at Pesos 10 for a box weighing 225grams
 
MscleLovr said:
In London supermarkets today, Argentine blueberries of the 'Brigitta' variety are retailing at Pesos 10 for a box weighing 225grams

Thats cheaper than Buenos Aires supermarkets who are charging 9 pesos for 150 grams. I did find a direct contact who delivers in bulk though at much cheaper prices . 3 kilos minimum of fantastic raspberries, elderberries, blueberries or any berries.
 
pericles said:
I did find a direct contact who delivers in bulk though at much cheaper prices . 3 kilos minimum of fantastic raspberries, elderberries, blueberries or any berries.

Could you let me have their contact details please?
 
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