The breeding facility built by Xing, where egg carton trays were neatly stacked on shelves to serve as habitats for the cockroaches. Photo: screenshot from media report

A video showing a post-1999-born man from Zhoukou, Central China's Henan Province, reportedly earning around 30,000 yuan ($4,100) a month by breeding cockroaches has gone viral online, local media reported.

The man, surnamed Xing, said he entered the industry after noticing the growing popularity of exotic pets among young people, per the report.

"Young people like reptile pets and I saw a market opportunity, so I gradually started learning and gaining experience," Xing said.

He explained that he initially fed the cockroaches carrots before switching to a mix of fruits, vegetables, wheat bran and flour-based feed, all prepared by himself.

Footage from the interview showed Xing building his own breeding facility, where egg carton trays were neatly stacked on shelves to serve as habitats for the cockroaches. Crushed food was spread across the racks, and the insects would crawl out on their own to feed.

Xing told the reporter that he can manage the breeding farm by himself and that the operating costs are relatively low. According to Xing, young cockroaches can sell for about 300 yuan per jin (500 grams), while even lower-grade stock can fetch between 60 and 70 yuan per jin.

The video quickly drew attention online, with some netizens expressing curiosity about the uses of cockroaches beyond being used as feed or food. Others joked that they were inspired to "switch careers" and start breeding cockroaches themselves.


Global Times