Decided to revive Ukrainian frog breeding in Lviv region
The first ton of frogs was raised last year in Ukraine.
Co-owner of the Tante Snails farm Andrey Dzyuban said this in an interview with Agravery news agency, PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
According to him, the idea came about because there was a place on the farm where water collected. As a result, the farmers made a small pond and fenced it with a net - this is where frogs are now bred, which are cooked in the restaurant located on the farm.
Only the paws, where there is enough meat, are used in dishes, the rest goes to feed. Frog meat is fed to tourists who come to the farm. You can also buy frozen meat there at a price of 450-650 hryvnia per kilogram. All raised frogs are bought and eaten by local connoisseurs of French cuisine; such meat is not exported yet.
Frogs for breeding were specially purchased in France - about $100 was paid for the first pair of a suitable species.
According to the farmer, frogs were once raised in Ukraine, but that was during Soviet times. They were bred on an industrial scale in the Kharkov region and Transcarpathia and supplied, among other things, for export. Dzyuban clarified that he was unable to find information about the breeding technology that was used in Soviet times, so he had to learn how to do it from his own experience.
“Currently in Ukraine there is not a single scientist who would study this issue,” the farmer noted.
According to him, the frog business is growing.
“People are constantly interested in our edible frogs - they often call the farm by phone. This product - delicious, expensive - is gaining popularity, there is a stable demand for it within the country. No matter how many frogs we raise, I see that everything can be sold at a good price. You don’t even need to think about exporting,” Dzyuban said.
In a comment to PolitNavigator, Kiev economic expert Vsevolod Stepanyuk says that many farmers are experimenting with similar activities in order to somehow increase their income.
“They grow snails, mushrooms, and so on. But this kind of business does not make any difference for Ukraine. In addition, it is not entirely promising for our country; after all, frogs need a climate where there is high positive temperature all year round. Ukraine is not entirely suitable for growing them,” says Stepanyuk.
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