Leech Farming Prospects: Will Tomorrow Still Be Bright (Part 2)
Continued from the previous article:Can the "tomorrow" of leeches still be bright (Part 1)
I. The "today" of leeches: supply falling short of demand continues
The leech has gone through a long "yesterday", perfectly completing the transition from being ignored to being in high demand, and "today" its firm price is developing vigorously. So what exactly is the situation with leeches?
1. Supply and demand situation
At present, the market supply of leeches is mainly from wild resources, with few farmed resources. Affected by the dual factors of heavy harvesting and water resource pollution, wild resources are decreasing year by year, and the fact that resources are not abundant is already obvious to all. Because of its remarkable curative effect, in recent years this product has shown significant efficacy in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and is also used to treat thrombosis, vascular diseases, glaucoma, blood stasis and obstruction, and other diseases. With the acceleration of our country's population aging, the demand for leeches is growing larger and larger, and supply falling short of demand continues.
2. Farming situation
With wild resources not abundant and high prices providing a stimulus, farmed resources have stepped onto the stage. At present, farming technology is not mature. Taking the Jiangsu production area as an example, in 2013 the seedling input there was 16,000-17,000 yuan/mu, the feed input was 3,000 yuan/mu/year, and adding the labor cost for harvesting, the relatively high cost input makes most people shrink back. Secondly, the leech growth cycle is relatively long, generally requiring 3 years of farming to reach adulthood and begin laying eggs. Thirdly, in recent years the environment has been destroyed without restraint, and the water resources on which leeches depend for survival are seriously polluted, so most people are unwilling to farm them. For various reasons, farmed resources on the market are extremely few, a drop in the bucket, and cannot promptly resolve the contradiction between supply and demand.
3. Popularity and inventory situation
Leech prices are firm, many merchants are paying attention at present, popularity is quite strong, and some merchants are hoarding goods, all wanting to get a share of the pie. At present, supply at various production areas has basically sold out, total stock across all production areas is only about 10 tons, and operators basically have no supply left on hand. The favorable situation of relatively strong popularity and not abundant inventory continues.
4. Production area situation in the past 1 month
(1) Nanxun production area, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province: clear-water goods have basically been sold through. Local leeches include both farmed and wild resources, with farmed ones in the majority, but because leech farming costs are high and water quality is polluted and other reasons, leech output is decreasing year by year, causing many farmers to be unwilling to farm them.
(2) Tengzhou production area, Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province: leeches produced in the Weishan Lake area are of relatively good quality, but output is decreasing year by year. At present, the price of clear-water goods is between 780-800 yuan. Currently, supply at the production area is not abundant, few merchants have come to the production area to buy goods in the past 1 month, and local farmed leeches have not succeeded.
(3) Zaoyang production area, Xiangfan City, Hubei Province: the price of clear-water goods at the production area is between 830-850 yuan. Due to the impact of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the water in the lower reaches of the Han River has decreased, affecting the reproduction and habitat of leeches, and supply is currently especially scarce. The production area is developing farmed leeches, but because farming costs are relatively high and water sources are scarce and seriously polluted, farming has not been very successful.
(4) Sucheng production area, Suqian City, Jiangsu Province: the price of clear-water goods is between 810-820 yuan. Supply at the production area is especially scarce. Aside from some middlemen who still have part of the supply on hand, ordinary medicinal material merchants basically have no goods. Local farmed and wild resources both exist, but the quantities are not large.
5. Market situation
The leech, a variety whose resources are currently not abundant, with relatively strong popularity and relatively high attention. What is the recent market situation? Below is an analysis of the leech situation in different markets.
(1) Bozhou market: recently, driven by demand, goods movement has been relatively good and the market trend is firm. The selling price of clear-water standard goods is between 840-850 yuan, and the transaction price of alum-water standard goods is between 560-580 yuan.
(2) Anguo market: leeches are now in the lean season before the new crop. Goods movement and sales in the Anguo market are smooth, but alum-water goods, because they involve adulteration and weight enhancement, have been ignored by buyers due to increased market inspection efforts. Currently in the Anguo market, the selling price of dried leeches is between 890-900 yuan, and the selling price of salt-water goods is between 620-650 yuan.
(3) Yulin market: at present, leech popularity in the Yulin market is relatively strong, and attention remains high. Although recently small batches of Vietnamese goods entered the market in supplement, goods movement is still smooth, prices are firm, and the market trend continues to improve. Currently in the Yulin market, the price of clear-water standard leeches is between 650-700 yuan, and the price of Vietnamese alum-water goods is between 450-500 yuan.
II. The "tomorrow" of leeches remains bright
Before leech farming technology becomes completely mature, that is, before farmed resources come onto the market in large quantities, supply falling short of demand is its inevitable development trend. At present, driven by popularity and affected by the favorable factor of not abundant inventory, prices are running at a high level. However, leech demand is not rigid; high prices will suppress part of the demand. Before this year's Qingming Festival new-crop season, the market trend will continue to improve; after the new crop arrives, prices may fluctuate to a certain extent. In the long run, if farming technology does not make a breakthrough, if the high-cost input model does not change, and with wild resources on the verge of exhaustion, the "tomorrow" of leeches remains bright. But this kind of brightness is not something we wish to see. Wild resources are not inexhaustible and will not be used up without end. Reasonably protecting, reproducing, and utilizing leech resources is urgent!
Source: Traditional Chinese Medicine World Network Author: Xie Yujia
Original address: http://www.zyctd.com/fenxi-item-640942-1-209.html
Submission: China Leech Network http://www.shuizhi360.com/