Thanks to the improved transportation system and international trades being constantly expanded, we have seen a growing presence of food import lately. Many people hold the opinion that it is more beneficial to consume local food. I tend to disagree with the argument and in this essay I will explain why.
Many people believe that eating local food is an excellent way to protect local economy. On top of that, some people hold the assumption that with the transportation volume being reduced from the elimination of food shipping, the local environment will be enhanced drastically. However, in my opinion, the environmental condition of an area is attributed to many factors other the amount of exhaust gas being emitted. For instance, instead of the importing, if farmers attempt to grow crops that is not compatible to the local soil, it will lead to severe detrimental effects to the environment by damaging the soil bed.
There are many other reasons why it is justifiable to import food. First of all, in many occasions, it is significantly cheaper to buy from nearby countries, than to invest money building factories for producing the raw material. In the meantime, that country can export out its own products to maintain a balance of trade. Moreover, many consumers have strong preference toward food made in certain areas, such as the tea being made in China, and growing such products locally will not general any revenue at all. Lastly but not least, import of food is an excellent way to facilitate international trade, and countries such as Japan which reply heavily on food import, can also invest its fund solely into industries they are good at only, such as technology sector, while importing food from China.
In closing, the import of food cannot be eliminated. It is not only a necessary means of obtaining the essential nutrients for our body, but it can also facilitate the growth of international trades and boost the importance of third world countries, which tend to rely heavily on agriculture.