Nakhon ratchasima: "Crickets," a protein source of the future, are being raised at home by villagers in Nakhon Ratchasima, selling so well that they can't keep up with demand. They can be sold after only 45 days of raising, with a cost of only 600 baht per pond, but generating over 2,000 baht per pond in income.
According to Thai News Agency, crickets have become a superfood or a new alternative protein source in the market. For example, 66-year-old Grandma Mon Khamkad, a resident of Village 14, Wang Rong Yai Subdistrict, Sikhiu District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, decided to raise crickets as a supplementary income for the past two years. She transformed a small empty space in her house into a cricket farm, creating a breeding pond measuring 1.2 x 2.4 meters. She stacks chicken egg cartons as their habitat, emphasizes cleanliness, and uses mesh netting to cover the pond to protect against pests.
The raising process is straightforward. The crickets are fed a mixture of commercial feed and local vegetables like mulberry leaves and water spinach to reduce costs. Two to three days before harvesting, the diet is switched to ivy gourd leaves, pumpkin, or cucumber to cleanse their digestive system, reduce the fishy smell, and increase their value. They can be harvested and sold in just 45 days, with a cost per pond of 600 baht and revenue of 1,700 to 2,550 baht per pond.
In addition to selling fresh crickets at 120 baht per kilogram, Grandma Mon has added value by making crispy herb-fried crickets. She deep-fries the boiled crickets in boiling oil with kaffir lime leaves, seasoning them with salt and spices. The result is a high-protein, crispy dish popular with villagers, shops, and factory workers who always order in advance. This is another example of innovative agriculture that transforms a local insect into a sustainable cash crop.