Vendors at the Hilo and Kailua-Kona "farmers" markets get caught all the time selling Mexican mangoes and avocados at Hawaii prices. The first clue really should be that these vendors look like they have never used a shovel in their entire lives. The second clue is that there are still "Produce of Mexico" stickers on the fruit.
This deserves more than a slap on the wrist (they don't even get that). It erodes trust. And visitors aren't getting value for their money. This makes it harder for actual farmers to sell their produce at the legitimate farmers markets. The real farmers markets happen one day a week. And scruffy-looking people sell produce that doesn't look NEARLY as good as what's found at Safeway. But it tastes better.
The best tomatoes are grown in Waimea. That means the best marinara, the best BLTs, the best caprese salad and the best salsa are here, too. Most people will never experience that because they go with convenience over quality. If people can't afford any better, that's different. If people simply don't care, and want to eat Costco pizza three meals a day, that's also different.
The rest are similar to the Europeans who visit the US and then demand that we're incapable of brewing decent beer.
"Well, what beer did you drink?"
"Bud Light. It was effin' close to water!"
"You didn't try anything else?"
"No. Just Bud Light. Horrible stuff. Why do you people drink it?"
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