Nowadays, food stuffs travel long distances from farmers to consumers, but some individuals believe that it is better to eat locally produced food because it is environmentally and economically good. I agree strongly with this point of view, and in this essay, I will support my opinion with examples.
Firstly, food traveling thousands of kilometres are often packaged in non-biodegradable parcels because the cost of biodegradable ones is high. Take sardine for example. They come in iron containers that might later be disposed inappropriately into water bodies, polluting them. Another example is biscuits, which are usually packaged in nylons that never return to the producers. These plastic bags are often burned, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which destroys the ozone layer.
Another reason why I agree with consuming locally made food is that it is cheaper. Imported food has many taxes levied on them, and the majority of retailers usually pass on this burden to the final consumers by increasing the prices of these products. A perfect example for this is the price of rice in Cameroon. Importers buy a 25kg bag for 2,500frs, and sell it for 15,000frs because of high custom duty.
On the other hand, there is an argument that importing food stuffs can make countries more friendly, and thus reducing political disputes that lead to war. Take for instance China’s relationship with Africa. This relationship has been strengthened in recent years by the large quantities of goods including food from China to Africa.
To sum up, it is believed by some people that consuming food produced by local farmers is better for the economy and environment. Personally, I believe imported food is more expensive and it’s packages pollute the environment.