Earthworm eggs sold online, earning 170,000 yuan in 3 days

Original title: Selling “earthworm eggs” across the country

“Two Hens” sets online platforms abuzz

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Ji Liwei shows reporters the green-shelled “earthworm eggs”. (File photo)

“I've been run off my feet lately. The ‘earthworm eggs’ are selling really well in the WeChat store, and the Taobao shop is about to launch too!” Ji Liwei said on the morning of October 26 while busy working at the farm.

Though Ji Liwei is only just over 30, she is already a major livestock farmer in Longbei Village, Dengta Town, Xi'an District, Liaoyuan City. Four years ago, she led nearby villagers to establish the Yuanfeng Breeding Cooperative, making their fortune by raising broiler chickens and laying hens. As the scale of breeding grew, dealing with chicken manure became a problem that plagued her.

“I have to thank this problem, actually - it was what made me see the business opportunity in ‘earthworm eggs’,” Ji Liwei said with a smile.

Through a study trip for major farmers organized by Xi'an District, Ji Liwei heard for the first time that chicken manure could be used to raise earthworms. Later, she happened to see a TV report about a “earthworm egg” farm in Guangdong, and her thinking was completely opened up.

At the beginning of this year, Ji Liwei traveled to Guangdong to “learn from the experts,” studying earthworm breeding techniques and bringing back 200 jin of earthworm seedlings for raising chickens. After careful management, in early May she fed the grown earthworms to the laying hens, and before the Dragon Boat Festival the first batch of “earthworm eggs” was produced.

Why open a shop on WeChat to sell them? Faced with the reporter's question, Ji Liwei said: “This kind of egg has high costs, and considering it wouldn't be easy to open up a market locally, I started preparing to sell on WeChat while raising the earthworms. I never expected them to sell so well.”

During the interview, the reporter learned that in the first 3 days of online sales, “earthworm eggs” brought in 170,000 yuan. Because sales were better than expected, there was even a shortage of packaging supplies.

Today, the online store Ji Liwei founded, named “Two Hens,” is operating exceptionally well, and a Taobao shop is about to launch. Using online platforms, she sells “earthworm eggs” all over the country, forming an integrated online business model of production, supply and sales for specialty agricultural products.