Some people believe people should consume locally grown food while others believe food should be transported for consumption. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Due to globalization, trade is flourishing, and many consumer goods are being traded across the globe. It has been noticed that even food is being imported from or exported to different countries. In my opinion, the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages. To begin with, the import and export of food materials provides people with an opportunity to taste exotic foods and cuisines. Some fruits and vegetables can only be grown in specific regions. By importing them, people living in other parts of the world can also enjoy them. For example, kiwi fruit cannot be produced in India, but all Indians can still enjoy the fruit, thanks to imports. Moreover, this trend gives the poor, developing countries an opportunity to earn foreign exchange by selling their rare products to the world. This eventually helps those countries economically. On the flip side, the importing and exporting of food does have a few downsides. First of all, imported food is not always healthy. As those food materials have to be transported over long distances, they are preserved with the help of chemicals to increase their shelf life. These preservatives are sometimes carcinogenic and could cause dreadful diseases like cancer. Thus, they are a potential threat to the health of the people. Furthermore, the importing of food can weaken the economy of poor countries. To conclude, although imported food is not always healthy, the import and export of food products is an opportunity for sellers to earn valuable foreign exchange and for buyers to enjoy exotic foods all year round. As for the health consequences, well, healthier preservatives may be available in near future.