Agriculture & Food

According to recent news from the Thai media, the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand stated that the current consumption patterns of people have changed with social and economic trends. In terms of food innovation and technology research and development, beneficial sources of nutrition have been introduced to develop new foods to meet specific consumers. The needs of groups, such as healthy food, organic or additive-free food, plant-based food, vegetarian and ketogenic food, including food made from alternative proteins such as insects, are classified as novel foods. Foods or snacks containing insects are beginning to gain popularity due to their high nutritional value, high protein content, comparable to the protein found in major meats, but also high in minerals, calcium, fiber, high in vitamins and low in fat.

Currently, the global insect market is worth more than $400 million, and the market value of insect protein foods is expected to reach $2,067.9 million by 2027. Thailand can produce more than 7,000 tons of economic insects every year, and has a large number of farms, especially cricket farms have more than 23,000. According to the 2021 export data, the export volume of insects and processed insect food in 2021 is 575 tons, valued at 1.5 million US dollars, an increase of 96.27%. Thailand's top five export markets are Cambodia with 47.80%, the United States with 26.07%, Japan with 12.28%, and Myanmar with 4.69%.

Thailand has a high potential for breeding and producing insect-replacement proteins because of the climate suitable for insects, modern food processing innovations and technologies, and the use of fewer resources than other animals in the breeding and production process due to the growth of insects The cycle is short, causing less pollution to the environment and producing low methane content.

Nearly 200 species of economic insects can now be produced in Thailand, but the most popular insect is crickets. The European Union has approved mealworms, European locusts and other economic insects as edible products, which is a good opportunity for farmers to increase the variety of insects they cultivate , can be used for export and as raw materials and protein supplements in food processing industries such as fast food, casual snacks, health care products, etc., and can also be used as raw materials for feed manufacturing.

In addition, Renneron emphasized that the market value of food will continue to increase in the future, which is a good opportunity for small farmers to cultivate insects and develop insect farming to meet international quality standards and export to foreign markets. Value-added opportunities in the production of insect-replaced protein foods.

This will require collaboration between government and the private sector to develop and promote high-quality, safe insect breeding, and to develop innovations and technologies for superfood processing to meet domestic and international market demands, create added value for agricultural products, and generate income for the economy .