'Your expertise' Atlantida

Pierre from Johns Creek, Ga. (Contact Member) - 12/01/09 19:19

Hola Peter,

I currently don't live in Uruguay but hopefully we will be transitioning to Uruguay in the coming months. I have said this before but when you have kids something always keeps popping up and postponing the trip. I think it is intentional!! I would love to tap into your orchard experience. My love would be to have property where I can grow and sell the fruits of my labor. My wife who is from French heritage but born in Lima, Peru thinks I am a little loco. Can you give me your thoughts?

Saludos cordiales, Pierre

Comment #1 Elaine (1) from Ireland (Contact Member) - 12/02/09 06:06

"Orchards in Uruguay"

Hi Pierre,

You're not totalmente loco, but if you want to do it for anything more than your own pleasure (ie to make money) then you need to do a lot of research because running a business in Uruguay isn't so easy. There are a lot of regulations and also the market is very small. You'd have to research soil types, choose an area that isn't prone to flooding, carefully select the products you choose to grow etc etc.

However if it is just for you then this is a great place to do it. Plenty of sunshine, usually plenty of rain (though last summer saw a terrible drought), and as far as I know the soils here are pretty good too. Many expats have anything from a little vegetables patches and some fresh herbs to fruit trees and large scale growing facilities. I've some people own citrus plantations up in Salto, and I've heard talk of some expats wanting to grow olives etc.

What kind of things would you like to grow? and on what scale?

Comment #2 Patrick from Rural east Colonia departmento (Contact Member) - 12/02/09 06:45

"Fruit growing"

The commercial growing of fruit is big business here in east Colonia. Most of it goes for jam manufacture.

Comment #3 Elaine (1) from Ireland (Contact Member) - 12/02/09 07:10

"Commercial Fruit Growing"

But isn't it a pretty closed club? Wouldn't you need a whole lot of land (as well as plenty of experience) in order to grow on that scale? and I can't imagine local farmers would be very happy to see a foreigner come in and compete with their durazno farms, do you?

Comment #4 Steve Bowman from Piriapolis & Savannah, Ga (Contact Member) - 12/02/09 17:45

"Part Time Resident"

I can't think of two many ideas worse than moving to UY to start a business that serves the domestic market.

The obsticals are too many to mention here, but there's plenty of info available if you look.

• coastaluruguay.com

Comment #5 Administrator from Uruguay (Contact Member) - 12/03/09 07:01

"Providing helpful links"

It would be helpful for all involved if you link to the exact article(s) you reference in your message. Otherwise there is a very large archive to search through and people may not find the information you are talking about here. It is likely that AFTER they read the appropriate article they will scroll through the rest.

Comment #6 Lee from Pocitos (Contact Member) - 12/03/09 07:56

"profiles"

It is also a good idea to complete your profile with a link to your home page.. that way people can find our more about you from your posts...

You can edit your profile from the little pinkish/orangish box in the upper left corner of the page.

I agree with Steve... moving to Uruguay and then looking for a job or opening a local business will be a great challenge.

Comment #7 Elaine (1) from Ireland (Contact Member) - 01/25/10 07:26

"Obstacles to setting up a business in Uruguay"

Pierre I'm still not sure if you wanted to set up an orchard or fruit growing farm for your own pleasure, or if is to financially support yourself, however if it is for the latter (or if it is ANY other money-making business proposal for that matter) then Steve does indeed have a point - Uruguay is not conducive to making money, that does NOT mean it is impossible, but it is not an easy ride.

As I said before, setting up a business here is not as straightforward as in the US (which is essentially the land of entrepreneurs, that is what the country is built on!). I'm not sure I would so easily agree with Steve in saying that there is plenty of info available if you look. I found that decent quality and up-to-date information on Uruguay VERY hard to find when I was searching a year and half ago (in June/July 2008). This may have changed slightly as the expat community here has grown and therefore the forums/blogs have expanded.

I know people who have made and are making businesses work here - businesses of northern standards (that is a big challenge, and a continuous struggle). It is possible, but you have to really want it and have a reason for doing it other than making money - you can do that much easier elsewhere in the world!

If you have any questions feel free to ask...and share what you learn along the way too.

Comment #8 kirk frye from detroit,mi (Contact Member) - 01/27/10 03:33

"best place"

More places have anything from a little veggies patches and some fresh herbs to fruit trees and large scale growing facilities. I've some people own citrus plantations up in Salto, and I've heard talk of some expats wanting to grow olives etc.

Comment #9 Elaine (1) from Ireland (Contact Member) - 01/27/10 08:17

"The dangers of eucalyptus"

One thing to watch out for if you plan to grow anything is eucalyptus trees. I have heard they absorb multiple times more water than any other tree and they pretty much suck the life out of all the soil around them and render it fairly useless.

Eucalyptus seems pretty common across Uruguay (well from my experience anyway, I have seen them in every region I have been to) and they are only bound to get more popular as forestry is promoted as a profitable industry and these trees grow very fast and are suitable for paper mills.

A friend of mine in Minas has had fruit trees on their family property for centuries. The orange and lemons trees there have been around for decades and have always produced fruit. Eucalyptus trees were planted nearby and the trees have since died and all the soil around them ruined.

Many will argue against this point fiercely as they depend on these trees for their living, but it is an industry that could seriously affect you if you plan to cultivate anything...except for maybe olive trees, I have heard they would grow out of rock!

Comment #10 kirk frye from detroit,mi (Contact Member) - 01/28/10 02:43

"Salto "

Many expats have anything from a little vegetables patches and some fresh herbs to fruit trees and large scale growing facilities. I've some people own citrus plantations up in Salto, and I've heard talk of some expats wanting to grow olives etc.

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