Nowadays, fresh produce that used to be grown locally and delivered to your table have been replaced with those that are being delivered from incredibly long distances. Fruits that are delivered from different regions, and sometimes even different countries, often times cost less than those that grow locally — but is that really the case? What is the true cost of purchasing non-local produce?
Let’s take an apple for instance, studies indicate that it takes approximately 1555 miles to get an apple from a distant farm to the grocery store, and to table compared to just 105 miles if it were to have been delivered from a local farm.
These are a few alarming facts that we found on www.cuesa.org about why eating non-local produce can do more harm than good:
– Long-distance, large-scale transportation of food consumes large quantities of fossil fuels. It is estimated that we currently put almost 10 kcal of fossil fuel energy into our food system for every 1 kcal of energy we get as food.
– Transporting food over long distances also generates great quantities of carbon dioxide emissions. Some forms of transport are more polluting than others. Airfreight generates 50 times more CO2 than sea shipping. But sea shipping is slow, and in our increasing demand for fresh food, food is increasingly being shipped by faster – and more polluting – means.
– When produce is transported long distances, farmers and distributors alike have to ensure that the produce doesn’t go bad while in transit. In order to transport food long distances, much of it is picked while still unripe and then gassed to “ripen” it after transport, or it is processed using preservatives, irradiation, and other means to keep it stable for transport and sale. Scientists are experimenting with genetic modification to produce longer-lasting, less perishable produce.
The drawback of this whole process is that since the fruits have been harvested prematurely, they lose nutritional value and lack their naturally vibrant taste although they may appear to look like natural, fully ripened produce. Bottom line, the entire process reduces the overall quality, taste and nutrition of the produce that you are buying — which is why consuming locally sourced organic fruits is a worthy option.