“Since pork is expensive, more people have now turned to eating crocodile meat, which is cheaper and tastier. It’s also low in fat and high in protein” – Pol Sub Lt Wichai Rungtaweechai
Following the surge in pork prices due to the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the country, Thais are turning to crocodile meat as another alternative.
This Monday, on its Facebook page, a crocodile farm located in Nakhon Pathom; posted an offer for crocodile meat starting at ฿70/kg. The post garnered over 4,100 likes and nearly 2,000 comments. Crocodile farms are offering the reptile’s meat as a cheaper alternative to pork, whose price has soared to more than 200 baht per kilogram.
Following the entry of crocodile meat into the market, many farmers have praised their products. Second Lieutenant Wichai Rungtaweechai, 65 years old and owner of the farm, said that he raised nearly 12,000 crocodiles of different sizes, with the largest measuring more than five meters long. Moreover, he added that his farm has been in operation for over 30 years. He also explained that the crocodiles are ready to be slaughtered when they are about three and a half years old, weighing 30 to 40 kg, and are about 185 cm long.
This new source of protein seems to arouse the curiosity of Thai Internet users. They would like to try this exotic meat, not only because its price is much lower than pork costing nearly ฿200/kg, but also because this meat has a similar taste to chicken and it can be cooked in various ways, for example, grilled, with noodles or stir-fry.
