North African Entrepreneurs - The Fruit Guy (this job may include women too!)

One of the perks of living here is fresh produce.  Locally grown fruit and vegetables are picked one day and in the market and on our table the next.  There is no such thing as cold storage so anything that is picked needs to be sold within a day or two.  Unfortunately the quality may not be as high as food you find in Canadian grocery stores, the carrots are usually odd shaped, the peaches are often bruised,  and we frequently discover new pets hanging out in the peppers, but at least its fresh.

Some of the freshest fruit and veggies are found on the back of the fruit guy's donkey cart.  After farmers pick their latest crops and drive them into the city they distribute them to donkey cart drivers who then sell the produce up and down local streets.  In the morning we hear the familiar call, 'PEACHES!  CARROTS!  TOMATOES!' (we've translated that for you).

We've discovered that the cheapest fruit is always from the back of a donkey cart.  They only sell what is local and in season so its usually less than a dollar a kilo.  We always celebrate when we see watermelon, mangos or grapes on the donkey carts and we buy as much as possible because we know that within a few weeks the season will pass and they will be gone until next year.  We are already looking forward to October's pomegranates!