The grasshoppers can be purchased in the state of Oaxaca, Tlaxcala or Puebla at a price of 28 pesos per kilogram; however, in Europe the kilo is priced at up to 1,000 pesos. It is a product with high nutritional value; It is a source of protein and favors both digestion and circulation. In addition, it is fashionable in gourmet, natural and organic stores.
The traditional capture of this insect is carried out by rural groups in the countryside, therefore, the grasshoppers are exposed to insecticides that are harmful to health. Julieta Ramos Elorduy, an entomologist and researcher at the UNAM Institute of Biology, created a grasshopper farm free of polluting substances.
It is not only a business that can be very profitable. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), including insects as an important part of the human diet is essential when considering global food scarcity. For its part, the United Nations Food Organization (FAO) considers that by 2050 insects such as grasshoppers, worms and ants will be a fundamental part of children’s diets.
Insects are considered a “superfood” for their high protein content, low concentrations of harmful fats, good levels of iron, calcium, essential amino acids and B12 supplement. In addition, they are positioning themselves in the market as a real alternative to gluten-containing products. What’s more, cricket flour is a popular ingredient in the Paleolithic diet.
In addition, according to the firm Entofarms, producing 10 grams of cricket meal requires 12 times fewer resources than generating 10 grams of beef protein for human consumption.
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How to do it?
To set up a grasshopper producing farm, an extension of approximately 500 square meters and an investment of close to 3,000,000 pesos are required; 2,000,000 pesos for the acquisition of technology and intellectual capital; 1,000,000 pesos as working capital. This is for large-scale farming, but you can start by making dishes with crickets that you buy at the Central de Abastos, the San Juan Market, or in typical Oaxacan product trucks.
Grasshoppers feed on alfalfa, grass, etc., but you can start with small plots and then increase your production as your sales increase. Thus, you will be able to start the production of grasshoppers in a controlled manner and with high quality.
Not only can you sell grasshoppers in their lean form, you can also develop your own line of products made from these insects as gorumet food and even food supplements for pets.
You can even access the programs that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has.
Market niches: sale of grasshoppers as raw material to companies dedicated to manufacturing food products; preparation of sauces, dressings and snacks from the grasshopper.