Some Countries Import A Large Amount Of Food From Other Parts Of The World | Band 8 IELTS Essay Sample
Some countries import a large amount of food from other parts of the world. To what extent is this a positive or negative trend?
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Band 8 IELTS essay sample
Due to the advancement in transportation and communication, it is not wrong to consider the whole world a global village. Many nations have benefited from the export and import of foods, and with progress in transportation, goods can be delivered from one end of the world to another within a few days. Some see this phenomenon as negative, but, in my opinion, the overall effect is positive for both the nations involved in the trade.
There is a plethora of reasons why this development has benefits. First and foremost, not all nations around the world have suitable climate to grow crops. Thus, there is a shortage of food, especially fresh produce in those countries. They, therefore, rely heavily on other countries to supply them with the necessary items. For instance, Canada is one of the major importers of food because in that country there is snow for more than six months of the year. Secondly, the crops from places of abundance can be made available in places of scarcity with the help of today’s transportation facilities.
In other words, importing matches the demand and supply of the nation; this in turn results in a healthy economic growth. Therefore, it is a win-win situation, where the food gets consumed by the importing country and it generates revenue for the residents of the exporting country. Lastly, it boosts economies of the world by creating employment opportunities in trading industry and its branches. It has been estimated that 18% of the world’s population is being employed in the import-export and related industries. What is more, trading of agricultural produce also helps to fill the gap of inequality in a society where workers are provided with a good salary, especially in developing countries, so they have an opportunity to better their standard of living.
On the downside, imported food is more likely to contain harmful chemicals like preservatives and additives because it has to travel thousands of miles. In my opinion, countries that have the right conditions to grow food should definitely grow it themselves because locally grown food is always healthier and tastier. Of course, some countries do not have the right climate or soil and for them importing is the only option.
In conclusion, the practice of importing food is largely a positive development because it enables countries that do not have the right conditions to grow food also enjoy food security. Of course, there are some downsides. Hence, importing should be favoured only if it is not possible to grow food locally.
