Breeding insects for export, a new industry for Vietnam

After nearly ten years breeding crickets, Mr. Truong Thanh Dung has developed a cricket farm in Duc Lap Thuong commune, Duc Hoa district, Long An province.

Dung said that his farm supplies the domestic market with 5-6 tonnes of crickets each month, priced VND100,000/kg (nearly US$5).

“It is not difficult to raise crickets. A basket of crickets yields 50-60 kilos of commercial crickets after 40 days," he said.

According to Dung, both Vietnamese and foreigners like dishes processed from insects. His farm is looking for partners to export frozen crickets to the regional market.

Insects are favored by many countries in the region and the world because insects are rich in protein and minerals beneficial to the human body.

Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar have developed the insect breeding industry for domestic needs and export. In Vietnam, crickets and other insects like scorpions, centipedes ... are mainly used as feed for birds or fish bait.

Currently nearly 50% of cricket output of Dung’s farm are sold to restaurants. "If there are policies to support insect breeders and processor, Vietnam can make insect breeding an advantageous industry," Dung said.

Bui Ngoc Chuong, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City-based Bug Company, said there were many insect farms in Vietnam. Even in Ho Chi Minh City there are also many crickets, scorpions, spiders farms in the suburban districts of Cu Chi and Hoc Mon.

Insect consumption is quite high in cities. Many restaurants reported that diners are very interested in insect food.

Complicated procedures

Vietnamese insect breeders have received orders from many countries in the region and also from Europe. However export procedures are still the hindrance, said Chuong.

For example, early this year Bug Company got orders for frozen insects from European clients but the firm has not completed export procedures. The company, thus, does not dare invest in expanding production.

Chuong said that the most difficult procedures in export of insects are the certificate of quality, size of insects and the certification of insect origin.

"We wanted to breed scorpions for export. When we asked the relevant authorities about the export procedures, they told us, let’s breed scorpions. But when we were ready to export, they asked us to prove the origin of the scorpion. This is really difficult because we bought scorpions from other farms and these farms bought the insects from others. Vietnam has not exported insects yet, so the related procedures for exports are unclear," he said.

However, Chuong disclosed the good news that in the next several months his firm will finalize procedures for insect export. “Perhaps in late 2015 our company will export the first batch of frozen insects to Europe,” he said.

Tong Xuan Chinh, Deputy Director of the Livestock Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), said that his agency only manages honey bees and silkworms. Other insects are bred by farmers but the farms that breed insects as food must have certificates of the Forest Protection Department, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

"Vietnam is a tropical country so insects are very diverse. However, breeding insects for exports is still new to Vietnam. There are many issues that need to be managed. If the management is good and there is a good plan, Vietnam can develop insect breeding into a farming industry with export potential," says Chinh.

In Thailand, there are more than 20,000 insect farms. With an annual average production of 7,500 tonnes/year, Thailand leads the world in breeding insects for food and for export.