The subject of imported ingredients has provoked much controversy in recent times. While some people assume that it significantly benefits the consumers, others argue that this might pose an imminent threat to the local economy and its environment. This essay aims at discussing both sides before determining whether it is a positive or negative thrive.
On the one hand, it is undeniable that products all over the world provide apparent advantages for citizens, prominent of which are related to the diversity in food choices. To be more precise, seasonality and changing climates confine the growth of certain types of crops, vegetables and fruits in specific areas, causing a lack of essential nutrition and sustenance among many dwellers’ meals. Therefore, imported goods from other countries allow people to enjoy a wider array of different ingredients throughout the year regardless of the time frame or weather conditions. For example, Europeans living in temperate zones can still enjoy a wide range of tropical fruits such as dragon fruits, passion fruits or durians and the spices produced in Asia to include in their dishes. Thus, this enriches citizens’ diets, not just in terms of nutrition but also enhances and diversifies flavour and eating experiences.
Considering the other sides, this is also my inclination. Imported ingredients fetch much pollution and potentially harm the host country’s economic growth. Concisely, when imported goods are more welcomed, it leads to a sales reduction of domestic ingredients which also diminishes local farmers’ revenue. Thus, in the long term, this can cause many domestic farms to go bankrupt and lose the jobs of local people working in the agriculture sector. Besides, imported goods also require a process of transporting and dispatching over a long distance. Thus, airplanes or large ships are required to transfer all ingredients which emit large amounts of exhaust fumes, significantly contributing to air pollution.
In conclusion, even though products from outside the country offer a diversity in nutrition and taste, the adverse impacts are more severe as they can affect both local people’s employment and the amount of pollutants released. Thus, products from all over the world bring more harm than good, which can be considered a negative development.