Shangcun’s transaction

This seven-month-old raccoon dog waiting for trade at Shangcun Fur Market has dense and long green-yellow fur. The strong wind swept the sand and dust and roared past, leaving wave after wave of ripples on its body.

A pair of feet stopped in front of the cage. They were two decently big feet with shiny leather shoes. Bigfoot was very tall and wore a mink coat.

"How much is it?"

"380."

"It's too expensive, the price is 350."

"It was 370 just now None of them were sold."

"No need to say more, I got the 370."

"Bigfoot" gave a soft drink and reached into his pocket to feel for the money.

The cage door opened. Bigfoot put a leash around the raccoon dog's neck. It made a continuous "haaa" sound and flinched back. The belt tightened tighter and tighter, and almost all of its fur stood on end.

"Bigfoot" suddenly lifted it and it was pulled out.

The owner of the raccoon dog is a man in his 30s, showing some joy. The trading period for fur animals runs from November to March each year. It is now the end of March, and the peak fur trading season is almost over. The price is not too low. According to him, when the market closed in the afternoon, there were even calls for the price of 5 yuan, because if it couldn't be sold, the cost would be too high if the raccoon dog was taken back and raised for half a year.

"Bigfoot" was a little anxious. It was now noon, not far from closing time, and he hadn't received enough desirable pelts yet.

Shangcun Market starts trading at around 8 o'clock. But in fact, before 6 o'clock in the morning, many fur buyers and farmers have already rushed to the market to occupy the favorable terrain. According to reports, local people have formed the habit of going to the market six times every ten days (on the first, second, fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth day of the lunar calendar). The theme of the market has always been the fur trade.

March 21 is market day. In Suning County, you can see people carrying iron cages along the way. Those riding bicycles carried one or two cages on their backs, while those driving tractors and cars loaded up truckloads of raccoon dogs and foxes and rushed to Shangcun Market. Fur traders are not limited to surrounding areas, many come from Shandong, Henan and other places.

“No matter how much money you make outside, it’s not as good as being close to home.” Five years ago, Qin Lao opened a local fur buying store. Now, the son has inherited his father's business, and both sons have started the fur business.

Qin Lao claimed to be "retreating to the second line", "I will just do some work in the market. I just want to understand the market conditions and give some suggestions to my sons."

An official from the Propaganda Department of the Suning County Party Committee confirmed that local farmers have a strong sense of family and are unwilling to leave their hometowns and live a life of working. Therefore, local labor exports are very small. Among the 330,000 people in the county, 50,000 are engaged in fur industry-related jobs. Work.

According to information provided by the Propaganda Department of the County Party Committee, Shangcun Town is China's largest raw hide and skin trading market, with an annual transaction volume of 3.5 billion yuan, accounting for more than 60% of the country's hide purchases and sales. A local slogan reads: "For Chinese fur, look to Suning, and for Suning fur, look to Shangcun."