INDUSTRY OF INSECTS WITH MARKET POTENTIAL ALREADY ENABLED IN THE COUNTRY

• Resolution published by SENASA allows the reproduction of mealworms and crickets.

San Jose, August 25, 2021. After a process of just over two years of analysis and interinstitutional work, finally, the cricket (Acheta domesticus) and mealworm (Zophobas morio and Tenebrio molitor) are now part of the list of exotic ornamental species in Costa Rica; opening the opportunity to produce and market products made from these insects and develop an industry at the national level.

The publication of the new list of ornamental species was made through resolution No. SENASA-DG-R0026-2021 by the Animal Health Service (SENASA). This resolution establishes that both the cricket and the mealworm will be excluded from the application of the Wildlife Conservation Law No. 7317 and its Regulation No. 40548-MINAE, and that SENASA will be the competent entity to control inspection measures, import, export, among other actions for the approved species (products, by-products, and derivatives), also counting on the technical support of the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) if required.

This achievement is part of the coordination of institutions that make up the DISCOVER program. In addition to SINAC and SENASA, the National Center for Science and Food Technology (CITA) was also involved with research and technical assistance on the use and utilization of insects; the Insect Museum of UCR with information on the management and breeding of species; Emprende Lab of TEC with technical assistance in business management; as well as the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) with advice, research, training, and identification of possible suppliers to develop an industry in the country. In addition, the Promotion Office provides support in the promotion and export process for companies entering this new sector.

“DISCOVER is a program that, in addition to promoting development processes, transformation, and technical assistance in agricultural, livestock, and fishing sector companies, also aims to eliminate bottlenecks that hinder innovation in agricultural activities. That is why today we are pleased to announce that in Costa Rica, we can start developing an industry based on insects, specifically thanks to the inclusion of mealworms and crickets on the list of ornamental species. We thank each institution that made an effort for this activity to be enabled in our country,” said the Minister of Foreign Trade and President of the Board of Directors of PROCOMER, Andrés Valenciano.

“As part of the promotion of production and diversification of the national economy, crickets and mealworms are included in the list of exotic ornamentals for human and animal consumption, granting the National Animal Health Service (SENASA) the responsibility of controlling and verifying public and animal health, as well as the biosecurity and safety of by-products, such as flour derived from these animals,” said Danilo Leandro, Metropolitan Directorate of SENASA.

“In support of the country’s economic recovery processes, the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) responsibly develops the mandates established by law; being the specialized technical instance in the conservation and sustainable use of the country’s wildlife, joint work with institutions of the Agricultural and Livestock Sector, in the construction and constant review of the lists of exotic ornamental animal species, becomes fundamental to ensure to the citizens that the import, export, and handling of these species is done in an environmentally sustainable manner, which undoubtedly also gives Costa Rica the opportunity to consolidate itself in markets that set the new trends in food consumption,” said Mario Coto Hidalgo, Technical Director of SINAC.

According to the PROCOMER study “Trends and Innovations in the Food Industry 2020”, before the pandemic, there were seven marked trends in food consumption, one of them known as “plant-based and alternative proteins,” which highlights edible insects.

While the current context has energized some and reorganized others of these trends, the fact is that insects will continue to be preferred in consumption. By 2020, the consumer spending hierarchy positioned trends such as concern for health (from nutrition to immune well-being), sustainability (packaging, no food waste), technology transversal to the industry and consumer (traceability, e-commerce), and the role of functional foods as value generators.

The industry that develops around food made from insects has the advantage of complying with trends mentioned earlier, such as concern for health and functional foods, since both mealworms and crickets have high nutritional value.

About DISCOVER

DISCOVER is an interinstitutional program coordinated by COMEX, MAG, and PROCOMER, in collaboration with CINDE and the Development Banking System, which aims to revalue agriculture and fishing as sustainable activities towards an inclusive and dynamic economy, as well as promote investment attraction in rural and coastal areas of the country.

It proposes a collaborative strategy between the public and private sectors for the creation of a new exportable offer, diversification of export markets, and innovation in all links of the value chain, through an improvement in institutional coordination to remove barriers to the establishment and development of these activities.

For 2021, DISCOVER has planned 10 value chains: abaca, mariculture, beef, hemp, turmeric, papaya, fine and aromatic cocoa, orange sweet potato, yucca by-products, and insects.