Farmer finds fortune in cockroaches

Wang Fuming, a farmer in East China's Shandong province, has made his living breeding insects for years, but in the last three years, it is his cockroaches that have made him rich, Nov 7, 2013. [Photo / Xinhua]

Wang Fuming, a farmer in east China's Shandong Province, has made his living breeding insects for years, but in the last three years, it is his cockroaches that have made him rich.

Wang, 43, owns six cockroach farms in the Hualu Agricultural Park in the Changqing District of Jinan, the provincial capital. The number of cockroaches bred in his farms is estimated to be about 10 million.

Most people find cockroaches, one of the most common insects, to be repulsive and a nuisance. But Wang said the cockroaches he is raising are a species called Periplaneta americana, or American cockroach, which can be eaten as a rich source of protein or used as a raw material for medicine, and is in high demand by pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies.

"People have misunderstandings about cockroaches, believing they are dirty and disgusting. Actually, they are edible," Wang said.

Wang mainly sells the cockroaches to pharmaceutical companies. The price of cockroaches surged from 50-60 yuan (8.2-9.8 U.S. dollars) per kg in 2010, when Wang started his business, to 150 yuan per kg now.

"The price once peaked at 500 yuan per kg. The price now stands at about 150 yuan per kg, with costs of only 30 yuan. It's a profitable business," Wang said.

There are now over 30 cockroach farms in Shandong Province. Wang is the largest cockroach producer in Shandong with an annual production of 20 tonnes, resulting in annual sales exceeding 2 million yuan.

In addition to providing raw material for medicine, cockroaches are expected to be made into health products in the future, according to Wang.

Businessmen and visitors from home and abroad have visited Wang's cockroach farms in admiration of his fame.

Liu Yusheng, an entomologist at the Shandong Agricultural University, said China lacks scientific and systematic study on American cockroaches.

The species is known to have a wide range of health effects, including inflammation reduction, immune system improvement, and the ability to heal gastroenteritis and burns. Cockroach extract can be used in cosmetics for its bacteria-killing effect, according to Liu, adding that more and better research on their use is still needed.

Though Wang has made money, he still feels puzzled because no specific government department is in charge of cockroach farming, which is still an emerging business in China. Neither the local animal husbandry bureau nor the forestry bureau thinks they should take charge of the industry and provide necessary assistance, according to Wang.

"We need both policy and technical support from the government," Wang said.