Pratice IELTS writing task 2

Some feel that countries should produce most of the food that is eaten in their country and import as little as possible.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

There is an argument that countries should place the greatest emphasis on producing locally-grown food rather than importing foreign food. I completely disagree with this idea as international food trading can significantly benefit the economy of a country as well as the health of its citizens.

To begin with, global trade plays a pivotal role in enhancing the economy of a country. The import and export industry creates a considerable number of jobs for the locals and provides governments with attractive profits. In many countries, food is seen as a valuable product, which contributes greatly to the state budget of the home countries, to be exported. Therefore, if people consume less imported food, many countries will face difficulties because the demand for their main products decrease. Take Vietnam or Thailand as an example, the economy of these countries depends heavily on exporting rice, which accounts for a large proportion of their annual GDP. In both countries, falling demand for rice probably results in an unavoidable financial crisis.

Furthermore, importing more foreign foods means that the residents can consume a variety of food, benefiting their health. Due to the climate conditions, some parts of the world are not capable of growing certain crops, such as vegetables or fruit, which could lead to a lack of nutrional value in the inhabitants’ daily meals if there are only local foods to be eaten. In orther words, eating only domestically-grown food might have a negative effect on the digestive system of people. Therefore, in order to have a balanced diet, the sole solution might be to internationally import different kinds of food.

In conclusion, the advantages of having a diversity of food are significant. In my opinion, the idea of eating mainly locally-grown food should be rejected because of the detrimental effects it has on the health of individuals and the economic status of countries.

Please give me some feedback. Thanks in advance!