Food travels thousands of miles from producers to consumers. Some people think that it would be better for the environment and economy if people only ate the local food produced by farmers. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Food

is crucial for our survival. These days, many consumers are eating

food

that has travelled thousands of miles away from their producers. Some people opine that it will be good for the

environment

if people only eat locally produced

food

. I agree with

this

view to a certain extent. In my

opinion

, consumption of local

food

will create jobs in the local economy and help the

environment

, but if people eat only locally produced

food

, they will have fewer choices. Environmental problems are a highly debated topic these days. Huge amounts of fossil fuels have to be burned to transport

food

to distant places.

This

causes considerable damage to the

environment

. There will be a massive reduction in the consumption of oil if people start preferring locally grown

food

and

hence

it is good for the planet. Another argument in favour of eating locally produced

food

is its nutrient value. Locally grown

food

is nutritious because it is free of preservatives.

Also

, locally grown fruits and vegetables are plucked when they ripen and

this

retains their nutritional content.

By contrast

, when they are transported from a distant place, they are plucked when they are still raw and

then

ripened with the help of chemicals. Regular consumption of

such

food

items will lead to health problems in people. Even so, in my

opinion

, eating locally produced

food

alone is not a viable option because there is a limit to the kind of

food

that can be grown in each place.

For example

, fruits like apples and grapes can only be grown in cold climates.

Likewise

, some fruits and vegetables only grow in hot climates. There are

also

many regions that are not suitable for cultivation. If people eat only what is available in their region, they choices will be limited.

Hence

, in my

opinion

, locally grown

food

should be given preference.

However

, it should not be the only

food

available to people. To conclude, if people give preference to the local produce, it will certainly benefit their health, the

environment

and the local economy. Even so, in my

opinion

, eating locally cultivated

food

alone is not a viable option because it will seriously limit the

food

choices people have.