Well I think everyone has to remember that 1)In the States & Canada we are spoilt rotten for choice at grocery stores and 2)Half of our produce is jacked up with pesticides and chemicals so of course all of our stuff looks "perfect" in comparison, 3)I don't think Argentina is a large exporter of produce, but in Mexico they ship all the "firsts" to US & Canada and keep the seconds for themselves.
I am from Vancouver originally, then Boston, then Lodnon, recently did a stay in Mexico, and now coming to Argentina. I remember when I first went to Star Markets in Boston I was BLOWN AWAY. I am from a 1st world country full of excess, but nothing could have prepared me for the sheer size and variety that you find in US markets. Canada certainly has places like this as well, but I still don't know that it's to quite the same extreme.
From Boston I moved to London, and when I went to the supermarkets there - large chains as well - I felt like we were still in the time of rations. In comparison to Boston's choice of 12 brands of one food product, you only had a mere 4 or 5 (shocking! lol).
In Vancouver there is a luxury grocery market where you have 50+ brands of tea, 60+ brands of olive oil etc. It gets ridiculous. Somewhere in between there has to be some balance!
Anyhow, I am disappointed to hear of the lack of garlic etc. And I'll pack my own pepper & spices it sounds like! However, I have always found that the best place to shop for produce is at farmer's markets, so I hold out hope for finding some decent veg somewhere.