According to marketers, many fruits, such as apples, are imported from Chile or Argentina. "The only apples we have are the ones produced in Vinto, but they are only used to prepare soda. The apples from Chile are larger, redder, and juicier," said one of the traders. A box of apples costs about 180 bolivianos to the end-user. However, they say, prices will rise because the apple season is coming to an end in the producing countries.
Bolivia also buys a lot of fruit from Peru, such as peaches, custard apples, grapes, lemons, melons, tangerines, and avocado, because they do not occur at this time of year in the country. According to vendors, the fruit is also imported because of its good quality. "We sell fruit from other countries because their quality is much better - they are larger than our fruits, and the customers prefer them. For example, we bring avocados from Peru because they are larger than the ones produced in La Paz, even though their taste is almost the same," said Cristina Janko, a trader of fruits.
Some traders attributed the country's shortage of some fruits to the drought affecting Bolivia, stating that it was the reason why the country didn't produce as much as in previous years.
The local markets sell fruit brought from Bolivia's tropical zones or from the southern tip of Cochabamba, such as bananas, papayas, watermelons, pineapples, and oranges. Unfortunately, some of this fruit arrives damaged and that influences both the price and the consumers willingness to buy. "Other countries take better care of their product. We need to put more effort into packaging and transport so that we can be competitive," the consulted traders agreed.
Peruvian potatoes
Imports of Peruvian potatoes have also gained strength as they became an alternative to potatoes brought from Morochata, which are marketed at high prices.
Some traders said that the Peruvian potato had a better quality than those produced locally. Bolivian potatoes are sold at about 2 bolivianos per pound, while a pound of Peruvian potatoes are sold at 1.7 bolivianos, as they are in season, said Justina Peña, a trader at the Calatayud market.
Alternative for consumers
Some traders said that customers sometimes looked for alternatives to Bolivian fruits, such as the dried fruits offered in green fairs or ecological stores. They said that customers were still not very familiar with these products, but that some of them already had market acceptance, such as melon, peach, and kiwi.
Source: Los tiempos