BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): The decision by Singapore to allow the import of 16 consumable insects is an opportunity for Thai entrepreneurs to penetrate this market, the Department of International Trade Promotion said on Sunday.
The department explained that the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) had on July 8, approved the import of 16 insects, including many species of crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, mealworms and silkworms.
This move is expected to boost Singapore’s food security as insects have high protein, while insect farming emits low amounts of greenhouse gas, the department said.
The department said many food manufacturers and restaurants in Singapore hope to launch their insect products soon, adding that some of them have used insects as food additives, such as protein bars.
The department said Thailand had the potential to export insects and their products. “The SFA’s approval for the import of consumable insects is a good opportunity for Thai entrepreneurs to penetrate Singapore’s market,” it said.
However, the department advised entrepreneurs to study Singapore’s regulations, standards and market trends before exporting insects to the country.
Regulations include documentation to prove that imported insects came from farms that meet food safety standards, the department said, adding that labels should be placed on packages to offer product information to consumers.
Singapore market offers enormous scope for Thai insect exporters
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, more than 1,900 species of insects are edible, such as caterpillars, beetles, bees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers, crickets, cicadas, dragonflies, termites and mealybugs.
The insect market is valued at US$400 million (13.7 billion baht), and is expected to reach $2.06 billion (70.8 billion baht) by 2027 thanks to over 2 billion insect consumers worldwide.
According to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Thailand can produce over 7,000 tonnes of economic insects annually. Thailand has more than 20,000 insect farms, especially cricket farms, the office said. - The Nation Thailand/ANN
