In several nations, food from abroad has become more and more popular. This essay will explain some of the upsides and downsides of this phenomenon for which I would argue the benefits are clearly more significant.
Granted, this trend brings two drawbacks. One of which is the gradual fading of national culture. Exporting a large amount of food from abroad leads to the declining consumption of local food. For example, since the appearance of fast food in Vietnam, almost all children are submerged by it and forget the national dishes. Another downside is that this trend may increase the proportion of unemployment, especially for farmers who rely on traditional agriculture. When foreign foods gradually supplant the local food, the products from farms are chosen by minor citizens. As a result, the percentage of job loss may climb sharply. For instance, since 2000, Singapore has opened the border gate to exchange culture with other countries, which resulted in the rate of job loss rising sharply by 35%.
However, in my perspective, the upsides of this outweigh the downsides. There are two primary benefits for this trend. Firstly, exchange of food between countries allows citizens to experience different cultures. For example, instead of geographical barriers between Vietnam and Korea, Vietnamese can sample delicacies of Korea such as kimchi, tteokbokki,… And in contrast, Koreans have opportunities to try traditional food like pho, bun… Secondly, it expands more options for customers in the food market. With just one product, consumers can find plenty of products from different countries in the world. For instance, with milk, we have many choices, milk from Europe to Asia.
In conclusion, although there are two drawbacks namely the blurring of national culture and the rising of job loss. I think the benefits such as promoting cultural exchange between countries and offering wider options for citizens are clearly more significant.