Nowadays, it is common for many nations to consume a large amount of imported food from other countries. Although it may bring about some disadvantages, the benefits of this practice are far more significant.
Purchasing edible goods and shipping them to countries may bring some drawbacks regarding of cost and quality control. In terms of cost, imported goods are expensive as there are various expenses such as taxes, fuel and transportation fees. For example, fruits and vegetables from other countries are significantly higher than those produced locally, as they go through taxes from the governments, shipping costs from logistics companies before arriving on the shelfs in stores and supermarkets. Apart from the higher costs, the quality of imported foods can be inadequate to the consumers’ demand due to longer shipping time, inefficient preservation and unreliable sources. This is because exporting countries may not control food quality and shipping vehicles not having satisfactory methods of preserving, leading to unqualified goods with harmful preservatives and diseases being consumed without being noticed.
Despite the aforementioned drawbacks, this practice offers a host of advantages in terms of consumers’ experience and economic growth. First of all, imported goods allow consumers to experience a wide range of cuisine from all around the world, which offers three to four times the number of local dishes. This helps people save money and enjoy dishes from different countries at the same time, without spending on travelling abroad to have these goods. Moreover, with many countries importing local food, their revenue from this economic activity increases, which can be vital to the nation’s economy. As a result, more taxes revenue from this source can help be used in improving the country’s infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and public transport, thus providing better public services for its people.
In conclusion, even though importing may indeed bring certain drawbacks to countries, the benefits in terms of economic growth and consumers’ variable experience are more impactful and meaningful. Based on the aforementioned arguments, I contend that the increasing food import is an overall positive development.