2.25.2008 9:31 AM

Fruit Fight

NYC Proposes Fleet of Produce Carts for Poor Neighborhoods

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Proposed legislature in New York City
to license carts to sell fruits and veggies in poorer neighborhoods

Photo: Istock

By Annie Bell Muzaurieta

A bit of a turf war is emerging. That is, if you can fight over fruit.

New York City has proposed licensing a fleet of street carts selling fruits and vegetables to hawk their wares in poor neighborhoods where residents are not consuming enough fresh produce, according to an article in the New York Times.

The proposed bill, known as the Green Cart Bill, has small grocery stores up in arms. They view the carts as competition, and fear the vendors would sneak into unlicensed territory where fruit consumption is high.

Dr. Thomas Frieden, the city health commissioner, told the paper that the city has been trying to encourage store owners to offer more fresh produce, but profit margins on cigarettes and alcohol are higher.

Last week, the president of the Korean-American Small Business Service Center of New York joined the argument against the Green Cart Bill, and other Korean groups are expected to do the same. There are approximately 2000 to 3000 Korean-owned small grocery stores in the city. According to the article, few of those grocers operate in the neighborhoods that would be served by the carts.

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