Sindh Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu has asked the people of Karachi to take advantage of the locust attack and prepare delicious dishes out of the insects that have come all the way to Pakistan.
In the video clip, going viral on social media, the minister went on to suggest the dishes that people could prepare from the insects, such as Biryani, grilled grasshopper and the local curry dish Karahi.
Rahu, who appeared to be giving some serious advice to the people, said in Hindi: “You can barbeque it, prepare Biryani and other amazing dishes”.
“[...]They have come all the way here so the residents should eat them,” Rahu said with a smile on his face.
As locusts attack Karachi, minister of agriculture Ismail Rahu tells people to eat tiddi biryani. Simple. pic.twitter.com/DEnYXdrdvH
— Naila Inayat नायला इनायत (@nailainayat) November 12, 2019
However, the suggestion didn’t go well with many netizens who mocked him for his remark over a distressing situation.
Reportedly, this is the second-largest attack by locusts on the port city since 1961.
OMG 😆 is really an Agriculture Minister, please send him to those fields and lets see who will have a dinner that night 😜😂😜
— Manoj (@naijonam) November 12, 2019
Tiddi biryani?!? 🤔
— sonia khanna (@soniakh65834389) November 12, 2019
PM @narendramodi u know nothing🤨 Look at Ismail Rahu, minister of agriculture. How smartly he handled population explosion of tiddi (locusts) in Karachi. N here, since 1947, *iddi population explosion is not getting handled 🤬😋😜pic.twitter.com/FfBZGDSMv6
Feed him Tidda variations in his 4 time meal...... That will give him some brain too I guess.
— Apolina De (@apolina_de) November 12, 2019
This is the policy of Pakistan. Eat the enemy....
— Indravadan (@iimistry) November 12, 2019
Others took him on with memes.
This is the policy of Pakistan. Eat the enemy....
— Indravadan (@iimistry) November 12, 2019
What an idea!! pic.twitter.com/BSE1H3jeQU
— Abhishek Sharma (@sharma1526) November 12, 2019
The minister was actually referring to the niche market for insects, a booming industry known as Entomophagy (insect eating). Insects are eaten for their nutritional benefits in countries like China, New Zealand, Australia, Africa, Asia, and parts of Central and South America.
According to a 2013 United Nations report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), around 2 billion people consume insects as a part of their traditional diet across the world.
The swarms of the crop-devouring insectы first entered the agricultural lands in Karachi's town of Malir, spreading throughout the city later on Monday.
Yesterday, a cricket match between state teams was also interrupted when a swarm of locust filled the sky and stadium, prompting players to run for cover and shield their eyes and ears to avoid contact with the swarm.
