Cockroach farms multiplying in China

[JonLP24]

Farmers are pinning their future on the often-dreaded insect, which when dried goes for as much as $20 a pound — for use in Asian medicine and in cosmetics.

<snip>

The 43-year-old businessman is the largest cockroach producer in China (and thus probably in the world), with six farms populated by an estimated 10 million cockroaches. He sells them to producers of Asian medicine and to cosmetic companies that value the insects as a cheap source of protein as well as for the cellulose-like substance on their wings.

The favored breed for this purpose is the Periplaneta americana, or American cockroach, a reddish-brown insect that grows to about 1.6 inches long and, when mature, can fly, as opposed to the smaller, darker, wingless German cockroach.

Since Wang got into the business in 2010, the price of dried cockroaches has increased tenfold, from about $2 a pound to as much as $20, as manufacturers of traditional medicine stockpile pulverized cockroach powder.

"I thought about raising pigs, but with traditional farming, the profit margins are very low," Wang said. "With cockroaches, you can invest 20 yuan and get back 150 yuan," or $3.25 for a return of $11.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/la-fg-c1-china-cockroach-20131015-m,0,5970699.story

[NewJeffCT]

1. bad math

20 yuan is rightly said to be about $3.25, or about 6.1 per dollar. However, 150 yuan should therefore be about $24.50, for a profit of $21.25.

Gross story otherwise, though.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Is this why apartments in New York City cost so much?... n/t

[OriginalGeek]

3. I live in a 60 year old cinder block house in Florida

I think it's time that thing started paying for itself...If they're buying lizards I can supply that too.

[Arugula Latte]

4. Isn't "Cockroach Farm" what they call GOP headquarters?

[JonLP24]

5. !!!

[walkerbait41]

13. Thank you the truth had to be said

[texanwitch]

6. Nothing like a flying cockroach in the house.

It just flys, no direction.

I guess money is made on everything.

[nolabear]

7. Oh HELL no. Just NO.

I've said it before. I can handle snakes, any other insect, bears, whatever, but put me in a room with one of those little flying s.o.b.s and I will scream like a little girl. Palmetto bugs are from the devil.

[texanwitch]

8. I had one land on a friend of mine, visiting from the north.

The flying roach landed on her, yeah she screamed like a little girl.

She jumped and was running around the room.

The flying roach was some how following her.

I was laughing so hard I feel off the couch.

The flying roaches are big down here.

It wasn't over yet.

The flying roach landed in her hair.

You could hear the screaming five miles away.

The roach finally flew off again, and I killed it.

My friend locked herself in the bathroom.

Not a great place to escape roaches.

They climb up the water pipes.

She was never the same again.

She spent the rest of the visit watching for flying roaches.

[nolabear]

9. Thanks for the memories. I'll go seal myself in a box now.

[texanwitch]

10. If she would have stopped running I think the roach would have flown past her.

I won't tell you what happened in the bathroom.

I just kill them if I see one.

[Taverner]

11. Roaches smell food

You smell like food

You'd think natural selection would have weeded that trait out

[texanwitch]

12. I think the little bugger was looking for some ac.

It is important to keep a clean house even then the little buggers come in.

Just have to kill them when you see them.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

16. Same here. And I've never even BEEN a little girl.

[LiberalEsto]

14. I hope these aren't Kochroaches

There are too many of them already

[Kaleva]

15. As Tony Montana calls them "fucking cock-a-roach farms!"