Nicaraguans eat a very healthy diet, producing a number of dishes that center around local fruits and vegetables. For people in Nicaragua, eating fruits and vegetables grown by local farmers is generally safe, as farming is one of the leading professions in Nicaragua and fruits and vegetables are eaten every day in the local diet.

On the Other: Corporate-Grown Produce

Since companies operating in Nicaragua aren't required to follow the same laws as they would in the United States, there is much concern about the safety of fruits and vegetables grown there and exported to the U.S. Without knowing the exact processes of a given company, it is difficult to say whether or not their grown produce is safe for consumption. In 1985, a lawsuit was filed by the Nicaraguan farmers against Dow Chemicals, now owned by Dole, for the use and harmful effects of pesticide 1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane (DBCP) which was outlawed in the United States but was still legal in Nicaragua until 1993. A similar lawsuit was filed in 2002 by Nicaraguan farmers where they were awarded $490 million.

Bottom Line

As many as 5,000 workers in Nicaragua and surrounding areas have filed a number of lawsuits against Dole and other companies for the use of pesticides, claiming they were all left sterile after being exposed to chemicals like DBCP. According to Nicaragua's National Toxicology Program, there has also been a high rate of tumors found in rodents, likely due to the use of pesticides. Due to runoff, leaching, or spray drift of harmful pesticides, it is impossible to say how safe Nicaraguan produce actually is.

Source:

beyondpesticides.org: nicaragua pesticides

epa.gov: pesticides