Possums, Number One Pest, Become Dogfood
Last Updated: July 11, 2001 08:47 AM ET
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Possums, New Zealand's number one pest, are going to the dogs.
"Possyum," a canned pet food made from possum meat, is the brainchild of New Zealand farmer Bryan Bassett-Smith, who plans to break into the markets of Singapore and South Korea.
The possum, a cat-sized tree-climbing marsupial from Australia, was introduced into New Zealand in 1837 to establish a fur trade.
But with their population now topping 70 million -- 20 times the number of New Zealanders -- the furry pests represent a danger to native forests, chomping through an estimated seven million tonnes of vegetation a year.
The new petfood is already being sold in New Zealand and the company is now eyeing the lucrative export markets of Singapore and Korea, Bassett-Smith told Reuters. He developed the product with the help of a government grant.
"It smells and tastes very much like a good corned beef. It's got a nice odor to it and dogs just go quite bananas over it," he said.
A network of trappers collect the possums for canning.
Possum is not widely eaten by people in New Zealand although several restaurants have served up possum pie as a novelty item.
Efforts are also being made to farm possums for their meat to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia for human consumption as Kiwi Bear.