- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Saudis flock to locust auction at local market
- Date: 5th March 2013
- Summary: BURAIDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (RECENT) (REUTERS ) VARIOUS OF AUCTIONEER AUCTIONING LOCUSTS AT AL-JARADAH MARKET VARIOUS OF LOCUSTS IN BAGS LOCUST TRADER SHOWING LOCUSTS TO CUSTOMER CLOSE OF LOCUSTS CUSTOMER NEGOTIATING LOCUST PRICE WITH AUCTIONEER LOCUST TRADER SELLING LOCUSTS TO CUSTOMER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic), ABDUL-AZIZ AL RASHED, LOCUST AUCTIONEER, SAYING: "Locusts come from Africa, they cross the Red Sea then reach Rabigh, Yanbu and then Madinah. People usually go to hunt locusts in the evenings, they put them in burlap bags and two days after, they come and bring them to us in this market." MAN PLACING LOCUSTS ON SKEWER TO GRILL THEM CLOSE OF LOCUSTS ON SKEWER VARIOUS OF MAN GRILLING LOCUSTS AND MUSHROOMS ON FIRE MAN GIVING GRILLED LOCUSTS TO ANOTHER MAN VARIOUS OF MEN EATING GRILLED LOCUSTS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic), ABDUL-AZIZ AL RASHED, LOCUST AUCTIONEER, SAYING: "Locusts strengthen the immune system, they are also good for curing diabetes and are beneficial to the colon. Doctors praise the benefits of locusts, not only here, but also in Europe and Asian countries. People eat locusts because they know how beneficial they are." MORE OF AUCTIONEER TRADING AT MARKET CLOSE OF LOCUSTS IN BAG CLOSE OF LOCUSTS WIDE OF BURAIDAH LOCUST MARKET VARIOUS OF AUCTIONEER AUCTIONING LOCUSTS CLOSE OF LOCUSTS IN BAG CLOSE OF LOCUST (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic), UNIDENTIFIED CUSTOMER, SAYING: "Elderly people tend to buy locusts more than others. They say they are good for treatments and they usually buy them at high prices. I mean they pay 400, 500, 600 and even up to 1000.00 Riyals (267 USD) for a bag of locusts." AUCTIONEER SELLING LOCUSTS AT MARKET CUSTOMER BUYING LOCUSTS AT MARKET CUSTOMER LEAVING BURAIDAH LOCUST MARKET AND CARRYING TWO BAGS OF LOCUSTS
- Embargoed: 20th March 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: Environment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA1T35UGVF6U28GP0ZU4SN4NPFH
- Story Text: In a small marketplace in the heart of Saudi Arabia, local residents gather to snap up a local delicacy - locusts.
Local residents in the Saudi city of Bauraidah flock to al-Jaradah market to attend a popular daily locust auction
Located in the remote inner province of Qassim, the market receives tonnes of locusts daily and is attracting increasing numbers of visitors every year.
Abdul Aziz al-Rashed, a locust auctioneer at al-Jarada market, said the creatures on sale originally came from abroad.
"Locusts come from Africa, they cross the Red Sea then reach Rabigh, Yanbu and then Madinah. People usually go to hunt locusts in the evenings, they put them in burlap bags and two days after, they come and bring them to us in this market," he said.
The Saudi authorities have repeatedly warned against the eating and hunting of locusts, due to fears of pesticide contamination.
But despite the warnings, the insects still remain a popular dish in many parts of Saudi Arabia.
And, ignoring the official advice, Saudi locust hunters and traders say the creatures possess valuable health benefits.
"Locusts strengthen the immune system, they are also good for curing diabetes and are beneficial to the colon. Doctors praise the benefits of locusts, not only here, but also in Europe and Asian countries. People eat locusts because they know how beneficial they are," said al-Rashed.
The price of a bag of locusts ranges from 200 to 1000 Saudi Riyals (54 USD to 267 USD) - and many locust-lovers are prepared to pay much more.
One customer said the older generation were particularly keen on buying them.
"Elderly people tend to buy locusts more than others. They say they are good for treatments and they usually buy them at high prices. I mean they pay 400, 500, 600 and even up to 1000.00 Riyals (267 USD) for a bag of locusts," he said.
While the locusts are considered a delicacy in Saudi Arabia, the insects are more usually considered to be a pest.
Locusts nesting in West Africa are threatening this year's food crop and in 2005, a wave of locusts in the region devoured large quantities of crops, causing hundreds of millions of dollars of damage. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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