Thailand is now the largest producer of edible insects in the world. Family farms raising edible insects comprise a multimillion-dollar global industry and Thailand leads the world in producing insects for human consumption. Farmers raising insects aren't becoming rich but it helps them make enough extra income to be self-sufficient. There are more than 20,000 registered insect farms in Thailand. Most of them are small-scale household farms. The average annual output is around 7,500 tons. Farming them is easy on the environment according to a 2013 FAO report. About 2,900 gallons of water, 25 pounds of feed and extensive amount of land is required to produce one pound of beef but only one gallon of water, two pounds of feed and a small cubicle is required to produce a pound of crickets. Insects are also very nutritous and eating one is like taking a multivitamin according to Patrick B. Durst, a senior FAO official who co-authored a study on Thailand's edible insect industry. A 6-ounce serving of crickets has 60% less saturated fat and double the amount of vitamin B-12 as the same amount of ground beef. Also, unlike normal animal protein sources, insect farmers don't use antibiotics or growth hormones. Insects are being referred to as 'six-legged livestock'.
