Mouthing Off | Why a local food movement won’t work in Hong Kong - we’re not Tuscany, we don’t have enough farmland
- Hong Kong imports most of its food, and with the comparative lack of arable land relative to the city’s large population this is unlikely to change
- So although the idea of us becoming ‘locavores’ is a noble one, Hong Kong diners and shoppers are more likely to continue satisfying their eclectic tastes
Eco-warriors are adamant about several food-related issues – less waste, go organic, eschew plastic, embrace sustainability and, most difficult for many of us, eat less meat. While I stand with them on most topics, there’s one aspiration we in Hong Kong might rethink, if not entirely change our minds about.
A key tenet is for us all to be “locavores”. That is, to eat more locally. No, it doesn’t mean extra helpings of wonton noodles and egg waffles. Environmentalists say we should consume more locally made and locally grown products or, as some advocates suggest, follow a “100-mile diet”.
The argument is that if we buy more from within a radius of 100 miles (160km), goods won’t need to be flown, shipped or trucked from other continents, thus reducing carbon emissions.
Also, the food won’t have the indignity of ripening in storage. Fresh food is always more nutritious, tastes better and is healthier for us. Less mileage might mean food is cheaper, too.
This gastronomic belief has existed since before agriculture became an industry. It’s how any regional cuisine develops, as humans eat what they find in their surroundings.
Obviously, in the past, that was the only choice. Park N’ Shop didn’t exist in the Qing dynasty and the only Chinese takeaway available during the Italian Renaissance was delivered by Marco Polo.
In a more modern era, the laudable Slow Food movement – which originated in Italy in 1989 when Romans took offence at a McDonald’s opening near the Colosseum – adopted local consumption in their manifesto to celebrate and savour the delicacies of farmers, chefs and traditions.
