Nghe An: Grasshoppers and locusts are in high demand, people count each one to get money
(Baonghean.vn) - Because it is not the season, at this time, grasshoppers and locusts (also known as "flying shrimp") are hunted and sold by Nghe An people at very high prices, even counting each one to get money.
Quynh Trang Commune (Hoang Mai Town) is known as a village with many people who go hunting for locusts. During their free time, they bring their tools and go everywhere to hunt. Although this is not the time for locusts to grow, there are still dozens of families in the commune who leisurely go to many rural areas to hunt for this type of insect.
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| People use rackets and nets to catch locusts. Photo: Viet Hung |
Mr. Nguyen Van Thuong in Hamlet 7, Quynh Trang Commune (Hoang Mai Town) said that this season, locusts are very rare, so the hunting output is not as high as during the rice-growing season, the rice ripens and after harvest; however, the selling price is many times higher than during the season. Moreover, at this time, after being hunted, locusts are packaged and counted individually to get money, not weighed like before.
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| Farmers in Quynh Trang commune go hunting for locusts. Photo: Viet Hung |
According to households in Quynh Trang commune (Hoang Mai town) who hunt locusts, from July to September is the season to hunt "flying shrimp", then import them to traders for 80,000 - 100,000 VND/kg. However, currently in the farmers' fields, the rice has only been planted for about half a month, so it has not attracted locusts to fly back, making it very difficult to hunt.
Therefore, people can only catch 3-5 kg of locusts at most; currently, each kg of locusts is purchased by traders for 150,000 - 180,000 VND. With this price, locust catchers can earn from 500,000 - 700,000 VND/day.
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| After a day of hunting, Mr. Nguyen Van Thuong's family in Quynh Trang commune caught 5 kg of locusts. Photo: Viet Hung |
It is known that in Hoang Mai and Quynh Luu towns, there are about 100 households specializing in hunting locusts, mainly concentrated in Quynh Trang and Quynh Thanh communes. In addition, in the two districts, there are many households specializing in purchasing locusts. During the main season, these establishments purchase from 500 kg to 1 ton of "flying shrimp", then refrigerate and preserve them in foam boxes to transport to the northern provinces such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc and some central provinces for consumption. According to traders in the North, flying shrimp are being sought by traders at 250,000 VND/kg (3 times higher than during the season) but there is still no supply.
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| Flying shrimp are refrigerated by traders for transportation to consumption. Photo: Viet Hung |
In the hot season, the specialty "flying shrimp" becomes more popular, especially in provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Duong... when it is considered a favorite dish for connoisseurs. "Flying shrimp" can be processed into many dishes, but the most popular is still fried with hot and crispy lemongrass and chili. In addition to being used as a specialty dish, "flying shrimp" is also used as food for ornamental birds.