Nghe An farmers hunt for 'flying shrimp' to earn millions every day

(Baonghean.vn) - When the summer-autumn rice harvest season comes, some people in Nghe An go hunting for "flying shrimp". On lucky days, they can catch dozens of kilograms, earning millions.

Some people go to the fields to hunt locusts in Quynh Luu. Photo: Viet Hung

These days, farmers in all districts are entering the summer-autumn rice harvest. This is also an opportunity for grasshopper hunters - locally known as "flying shrimp" - to earn extra income.

Present at the rice fields of Quynh Ngoc commune (Quynh Luu), many groups of people are trying to "set up" traps for flying shrimp. Mr. Nguyen Van Hung in Quynh Tam commune said that to catch a lot of "flying shrimp" requires understanding the terrain. When setting traps, you have to find rice fields that have not been harvested yet, when there are a lot of "flying shrimp". This job requires 3-4 people to participate.

According to our observations, unlike the method of attaching 2 nets to a motorbike and then riding on the rice field to hunt for "flying shrimp", many people have now switched to a new and more effective way of catching them. That is, each person buys a set of nets and sets them up in a frame on the field to catch them at a cost of about 2 million VND. This set of tools can be used for about 5 years before breaking down.

According to local people, from August to October is when "flying shrimp" grow strongly, they often fly to take shelter on rice plants to find food.

On lucky days, some groups catch about 70 - 80 kg of "flying shrimp", earning about 2-3 million VND. Photo: Viet Hung.

To hunt them, a small group of about 3-4 people will use a net to form a frame like a "goal" tens of meters long in the field. Then, 2 people use ropes to stand on both sides of the rice fields to chase the shrimps away to the trap location. About 30 minutes later, when the "flying shrimps" enter the trap, the people quickly fold the net to prevent them from flying out. With this method, each time they collect, people collect about 15-20 kg.

It is known that after hunting "flying shrimp", people import them to traders and wholesalers at a price of 40,000 - 50,000 VND/kg. Currently, in Quynh Luu district, there are about 50 people specializing in hunting flying shrimp. During the rice crop, "flying shrimp" often cause damage, so hunting "flying shrimp" will contribute to protecting crops, while increasing income for people.

"Flying shrimp" is a specialty of many restaurants today. Photo: Viet Hung

In recent years, this insect has become a specialty of the Vietnamese countryside. This attractive dish is now available in restaurants and hotels to serve the culinary needs of customers, so the purchase price of "flying shrimp" is increasingly high./.

Viet Hung