One man’s rat . . . might be dinner
Heavy rains in central China have led to deadly landslides and floods that have driven billions of rodents out into the open. So some enterprising folks there are catching the critters and selling them to restaurants in southern China. Stephen Beard reports.
TEXT OF STORY
Doug Krizner: Entrepreneurs in China are reported to be making money out of a minor natural disaster. Stephen Beard now with the unusual restaurant boom.
Stephen Beard: After serious flooding, central China suffered an explosion in the population of a small brown furry creature.
Businessmen swung into action catching, shipping and selling the animals to restaurants in the southern city of Guangzhou.
Oh, and this is the creature concerned:
[Sound of rat squeaking]
The sound effect of rats. Chinese officials have denied the story, but according to Chinese newspapers, entrepreneurs have been snapping up the rodents. Restaurants have been offering ratmeat banquets at $9 a pound.
This is Stephen Beard for Marketplace.