Food travels thousands of miles from the local farmer to consumers. Some people believe we should buy food from the local farmer to protect the environment and support local businesses. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Nowadays, supermarkets are stocked with foodstuff products from around the world. Some individuals are of the opinion that

this

imported meal has a detrimental effect on our economy and culture and it would be better if people ate only the local produce. Certainly, the disadvantages of imported food outweigh the advantages. On the positive side, transporting goods over a long distance gives us a lot of choices. We can taste a variety of fruits and vegetables from all parts of the world.

For example

, about ten years ago, we hardly saw kiwi fruit which is from New Zealand. But, now it has a place on every fruit stand.

Secondly

, many societies get employment in

this

field. Small farmers have a chance to expand globally and it increases the

overall

economy of the country.

Finally

, it helps in developing good relations between countries which helps in international cooperation and peace. 

On the other hand

, importing foodstuffs can have a negative effect on local culture.

This

can be seen in countries

such

as Japan where imported cuisine has become more popular than traditional, local produce, eroding people‘s understanding of their own food traditions.

Although

some would claim that

this

is a natural part of economic development, in an increasingly global world. I feel strongly that any loss of regional culture would be detrimental. In conclusion, I am certain that if people ate locally produced food, it would have environmental benefits. It would

also

benefit the local economy because, in time, people would prosper commercially as the demand for local and regional produce would remain high resisting the competition from overseas.