In the past couple of years, people have turned to buy local compared to grocery bought imported foods. Buying local started as a trend but the switch has provided many benefits to not only consumers but the overall community selling these products. Luckily the switch picked up some of India’s own economy, from the consumer market that was once heavily directed towards foreign labels. This article will go in-depth about how to remind consumers of the benefits of buying local, whether it’s for the good of your community or the health benefits from shopping India’s goods.
What Do You Mean by Local?
What it means by local, is produce, livestock, and clothing that has been grown and produced in the region that you live. Unlike imported goods, local foods and materials do not travel far and can be found at your local markets. You cannot segregate local and imported food within a ratio of miles or kilometers but know that local is roughly the region you live in and can access easily. Materials are not considered local if it has had to travel across the country borders to get to your local grocery store or shopping centre.
There are a plethora of reasons why you should switch to shopping and eating local. From helping your community, the environment and improving your own health benefits so it should end up being an easy switch from import buying to locally bought.
Why You Should Prefer Local?
Buying local can be a change for a lot of people who live in urban areas of the country. Our rural villages and towns somehow carry the essence of local purchasing because that is the only source they have. But, if you live amongst the urban population then you mindfully can take steps to shift your choices from labelled brands to local. Below are the reasons to make the change:
1. The Local, The tastier
The closer the food is to its end grocery store destination, the fresher the food will be. Local food only having to travel to the closest local market, produce and meats will be fresh and ready for you to pick up by the time you arrive to shop. Most local vendors even prefer harvesting and transporting their crops within 24-48 hours.
2. Local Food has lesser additives
Foods that are local to your region will not always need extra additives to help them grow or to maintain themselves. There is no need for preservatives to keep them fresh either because they’ll be bought from local consumers before having any time to start going bad. A study at Columbia has also shown that planting less rice crops and farming more nutritious foods native to the land could overall increase sustainability to India’s population.
3. You Know Where Your Food is Coming From
Some local foods are labelled accurately, letting the consumer know that it is native to the area and that a local farmer had contributed to the farming of the product. Cows from India are known to produce safe, high-quality milk, so consumers knowing that a farmer is promising them local milk is a great benefit.
4. It Supports the Local Economy
India’s economy has suffered a great deal since the start of the worldwide pandemic. Because of the virus, many companies were hit hard; local and small businesses being hit the hardest. By buying local, you get to be an active member of helping your community gets back up on its feet. Buying local also means the price of the products you are buying will most likely be less expensive in comparison to imported goods. For example, for southern India, coconut would be the region’s local food; because of the mass availability to this fruit and it is convenient to transport to your local market, this fruit is very reasonably priced.
Conclusion
When you buy local, you end up doing a lot of good for your body and mind by nourishing yourself with ethical and chemical-free food. Also, it’s a way of supporting your community when you choose to eat at a local restaurant, order-in, or shop at the local markets. It’s a great feeling knowing that you are all around helping your economy and feeding yourself and loved ones with trustworthy food.
