Global Availability of Food Products
IELTS Writing Task 2
Response: Purchasing foreign food products is currently possible for supermarkets costumers in numerous countries. Local consumers and economy benefit greatly from broader range of choices and more opportunities, respectively. However, in my opinion, the damage to production sector of the economy and capital outflow are irreparable.
A product manufactured in the United States may appear on supermarket shelves in China, Japan or various European countries. This development has provided customers with a diverse array of options, enabling them to select products that more precisely align with their preferences. For example, the diabetic community in the United States would opt for food products with lower, or no sugar content. American manufacturers might introduce them a beverage with higher level of sugar, while their European counterparts, using different formulas, might offer drinks with lower or no artificial sweeteners to cater their needs. Furthermore, selling products abroad typically creates a mutually beneficial situation for companies and destination countries. To remain competitive in the market, companies must lower the final prices of their products. Strategies such as circumventing transportation costs by constructing food production facilities in the host country and employing local workforces are often adopted to effectively serve this purpose. This not only creates more job opportunities, but also attracts more foreign capital.
Importing, on the other hand, can adversely affect the manufacturing sector. A market inundated with foreign goods might constrain the prospects for domestic production. A constant producing-sales cycle ensures sustainable economic growth in the production sector. This fragile cycle could simply be interrupted by the import of foreign-manufactured goods offered to consumers at reduced prices, exerting pressure on domestic producers, which ultimately leads to the contraction of the production sector. Cutting-edge technologies implemented in developed countries yet exacerbate the issue for underdeveloped or developing nations, where the production costs exceed those of imported items. This trend increases capital outflow as merchants are urged to import more foreign food products. Valuable foreign currencies, such as US dollars or Euros, which should be allocated to a country’s infrastructure development or be invested in vital industries, education, or public health, are extravagantly spent on importing food items that could be produced domestically. Therefore, if imports are unchecked, they harm local manufacturing and divert crucial financial resources from essential sectors, stifling economic growth and development.
In conclusion, while importing foreign food products offers consumer variety and economic opportunities, it significantly harms local manufacturing and diverts crucial financial resources, stifling economic growth and development. Balancing imports with domestic industry protection is essential for sustainable growth.