Rat breeders worry over their future

The region is one of the areas of the country with a high number of bamboo rat breeders, with the industry enabling people such as Su and counterparts in Hunan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces to make a living.

The Gongcheng county government has launched a program to help those living below the poverty line build up capital－for example, by breeding bamboo rats. It offers free training and loans at a discount to set up such businesses.

Su traveled to several large cities as a migrant worker before returning to Gongcheng in 2012 to join the program after hearing from fellow villagers that rat breeding is lucrative. Since then, he has lifted himself out of poverty.

His initial income as a novice breeder was low. However, after acquiring the skills to breed the rodents, he now earns about 50,000 yuan a year. For rural farmers, this is much more profitable than raising pigs, chickens and growing crops.

Su has been granted a loan of 50,000 yuan under the government program. As he currently has no income due to sales of bamboo rats being suspended, he has borrowed an identical amount from relatives to cover his costs. He feeds the rats regularly and disinfects the breeding site three times a day.

The rats feed mostly on coarse fiber, such as bamboo and sugar cane, which are found widely in rural areas of southern China. Breeders add other ingredients to ensure the correct nutrition levels.

Su is worried that it will be hard for him to find another job, as the COVID-19 pandemic has affected many industries.

"Due to my limited education, I used to do manual work. If I can't raise bamboo rats, I don't know what else I can do. I may become destitute again," he said.