Wed 27 Aug 2008PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - The price of rat meat has quadrupled in Cambodia this year as inflation has put other meat beyond the reach of poor people, officials said on Wednesday.
With consumer price inflation at 37 percent according to the latest central bank estimate, demand has pushed a kilogram of rat meat up to around 5,000 riel (69 pence) from 1,200 riel last year.
Spicy field rat dishes with garlic thrown in have become particularly popular at a time when beef costs 20,000 riel a kg.
Officials said rats were fleeing to higher ground from flooded areas of the lower Mekong Delta, making it easier for villagers to catch them.
"Many children are happy making some money from selling the animals to the markets, but they keep some for their family," Ly Marong, an agriculture official, said by telephone from the Koh Thom district on the border with Vietnam.
"Not only are our poor eating it, but there is also demand from Vietnamese living on the border with us."
He estimated that Cambodia supplied more than a tonne of live rats a day to Vietnam.
Rats are also eaten widely in Thailand, while a state government in eastern India this month encouraged its people to eat.
(Reporting by Ek Madra; Editing by Alan Raybould and Paul Tait)
With consumer price inflation at 37 percent according to the latest central bank estimate, demand has pushed a kilogram of rat meat up to around 5,000 riel (69 pence) from 1,200 riel last year.
Spicy field rat dishes with garlic thrown in have become particularly popular at a time when beef costs 20,000 riel a kg.
Officials said rats were fleeing to higher ground from flooded areas of the lower Mekong Delta, making it easier for villagers to catch them.
"Many children are happy making some money from selling the animals to the markets, but they keep some for their family," Ly Marong, an agriculture official, said by telephone from the Koh Thom district on the border with Vietnam.
"Not only are our poor eating it, but there is also demand from Vietnamese living on the border with us."
He estimated that Cambodia supplied more than a tonne of live rats a day to Vietnam.
Rats are also eaten widely in Thailand, while a state government in eastern India this month encouraged its people to eat.
(Reporting by Ek Madra; Editing by Alan Raybould and Paul Tait)
14 comments:
This is a so called propserous country under CPP government which no different to North Korea where people are being forced to eat rat meat for their poverty. It is really really good for people such as Khiev Kanharith, Cheam Yeap, ect and etc.. who have applauded their mightly leaders such as Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin for leading a country like Cambodia so that the people can only afford to eat rat meat as a substitue of their daily foods. It will soon, Cambodia will ran out all insects and barks from eating. I find it very disturbing for these leaders who have no shame at all. Areak Prey
when the rat meat is running out, the people will use their people power to teach the government a lesson
be warned: revolution is near, and the power is to the cambodian people and people power
i agree with all of you guys. beef and pork are so expensive in cambodia, so poor poeple can't afford them. Rats are the only solution for their survival because it is only 6000 riel a kilo.
This is what happen when CPP suck all the money and not even care or make some kind of financial institution or assistant to help the poor.
Don't tell me that CPP going the right path. Look those people eating rat!!!!!!
2:47 good I can not say more!
That ah kwack world of rich and honor and prosperity!
6:16Pm yes CPP is going the right path for ah Hun Xen 's family! See ah Hun Chea is driving Caddilac and can heat any one on the street with mother fucker police to protec him ( Ah Hun Shit) not the victime!
May Lightning or earth quak take them soon!
This is what you called AH HUN XEN economic achievement for past 30 years!
It is amazing that even after 30 years and dirt poor Cambodian people still eat snake, lizard, and spider, cricket, and rat just to survive like in the war zone!
I wonder what happen to all Cambodian institutional food.
i know, rat meat may sound gros to some people, however,these rats are called "rice rats" in cambodia because they destroy the rice crops in cambodia, they're considered pests in cambodia, so people have to eat them or feed them to their pets or crocodile farm or the zoo animals or whatever. it is good thing the cambodia receives flooding every year; this, believe it or not flushes out the criters and pests like snakes, rates and other "pests" out of the crop area and thus can help farmers safeguarding their hard-work from being eaten or destroyed by these pests. so, it is a blessing in disguise for cambodia, believe it or not!!! god bless cambodia.
Hey 3:49pm...
No! I dont see any people revolution or anything people is scared of hun sen to death...pol pot has done the job for hun sen...WHAT I SEE HOWEVER WHEN THEY RUN OUT OF RAT MEAT SNAKE SNAIL...PEOPLE WILL EAT PEOPLE HUMAN MEAT!!!
Be greateful that we still have rat meats to eat. For the next 5 years, we'll be eating bai-chrook (pig food). Who said the Khmer Rouge era is gone?
Is that the achievment for the current goverment after 30y in power, what have you done?going back eating rat meat? shame shame shame! go, let someone else do the job; there are plenty qualified people out there.
suggest: at least you have to change your new cabinets in every term.
touche
Is that the achievment for the current goverment after 30y in power, what have you done?going back eating rat meat? shame shame shame! go, let someone else do the job; there are plenty qualified people out there.
suggest: at least you have to change your new cabinets in every term.
touche
'shitt!! and big SHAME of the current cambodian goverment leaders.
the lightning will strike them soon if they keep turning their blind eyes to these poor cambodian.
Hun Sen regime. Srok Choeun Loeun!
Setha kech reach cham-roeun.
Rat meat is delicious.
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