Sturgeon, Soft-shelled Turtle and Sea Cucumber Prices per Jin in 2018 and Farming Profits

Sturgeon, soft-shelled turtle and sea cucumber are among the “great tonics” people are most keen on in daily life. Because their nutritional value is widely praised, their prices are also a bit on the expensive side. So, looking at the 2018 aquatic product market, what are the market prices of sturgeon, soft-shelled turtle and sea cucumber? How much per jin? How are the profits if you go into farming?

I. How much per jin is the market price of sturgeon in 2018? How are the farming profits?

1. What is the price of sturgeon?

When it comes to sturgeon, your brain might still stall for a moment: Huh? What is sturgeon? Can you eat it? If you still have not caught on, then you must have at least heard of the Chinese sturgeon, right! The Chinese sturgeon is the “idol-level” species among sturgeons. Wild ones absolutely cannot be eaten, as they are national first-class protected animals. Those currently on the market are all farmed varieties.

Why do people love eating sturgeon? Mainly because the taste is beyond words, there are hardly any bones, and it is rich in nutrients. It would be strange not to like it!

In recent years, the scale of sturgeon farming has grown larger and larger, so sturgeon prices have also dropped a lot compared with the past, and they vary by region, variety and size, generally 60 yuan/kg (sturgeon about 1 kg in size) and 130-150 yuan/kg (sturgeon over 3 kg).

Personal experience: when buying sturgeon at the market, be sure to choose one whose belly is spotlessly white. Such sturgeon are healthy, with firmer flesh and a chewier texture. (Paired with asparagus, the taste is first-rate!)

2. How much profit can be made per mu from farming sturgeon?

If you have a relatively good sales channel for your sturgeon and the price is guaranteed, then keeping the profit at 30,000-40,000 per mu is no problem.

II. How much per jin is the market price of soft-shelled turtle in 2018? How are the farming profits?

1. How much per jin is the market price of soft-shelled turtle?

The price of soft-shelled turtle is directly related to its “size” and whether it is “male or female”. The basic rules:

Price of large ones > price of small ones; price of male soft-shelled turtles > price of female soft-shelled turtles.

Specifically, a 1.5-jin male soft-shelled turtle is about 37 yuan/jin, and a 1.5-jin female soft-shelled turtle is about 21 yuan/jin. A 2.5-jin male soft-shelled turtle is about 40 yuan/jin; a 2.5-jin female soft-shelled turtle is about 32 yuan/jin.

2. How are the profits from farming soft-shelled turtle? (Calculated per mu)

Taking into account costs such as fry fees, site fees, feed fees and labor fees, the gross profit per mu is roughly between 20,000 and 30,000. (If there are no special market events this year.)

III. How much per jin is the market price of sea cucumber in 2018? How are the farming profits?

1. How much per jin is the price of sea cucumber?

Looking at the sea cucumber market over the 6 months in the first half of this year, sea cucumber prices fluctuated between 100-250 yuan/kg, with the average price staying at around 150 yuan per kg. It can thus be seen that buying a meal's worth of sea cucumber still hurts the wallet a little.

The market price of purely wild sea cucumber is even more expensive because of variety and demand exceeding supply. Ones costing several thousand yuan per kg also exist, but only very knowledgeable insiders can ensure they are buying “truly wild sea cucumber”.

2. How are the profits from sea cucumber farming?

Because sea cucumber farming is very limited by geographical factors, large-scale farming is generally difficult. At present, sea cucumber farming is mainly concentrated in Dalian, Weihai and the Fujian area.

The costs of sea cucumber farming mainly include the following categories:

(1) sea cucumber seedling fees;

(2) farm transfer fees and construction fees;

(3) feeding fees;

(4) employee fees;

(5) water and electricity fees required by the farm and daily management material fees, etc.

Taken together, although there are slight differences among regions, the cost to be invested per mu is roughly 20,000-30,000, and based on the market price of sea cucumber, a profit of about 20,000 yuan per mu can be obtained. Of course, this is on the premise of not encountering typhoons or other diseases, so if you want to go into sea cucumber farming, it is best to buy relevant insurance to be on the safe side.