Chapter 490: Crayfish Cost Accounting

The cost calculation is divided into two parts: one-time expenses and ongoing expenses.

His one-time expenses mainly consist of land rent and equipment purchase costs, while ongoing expenses mainly consist of feed and staff wages.

Ye Cheng looked at the ledger; the biggest expense was labor.

Eh...

The wages I set are a bit high.

But it's still acceptable.

After calculating for nearly an hour, Ye Cheng figured out that, thanks to his system's support, the cost of raising shrimp is between 2 and 3 yuan.

When he previously bought wild crayfish, the highest price was over 3 yuan; now his own farming actually incurs this cost.

To be honest, it's still high.

Ye Cheng looked over everything, then wrote a multiplication sign on the output and added a 2 after it.

With that calculation, the cost actually came down a lot.

Well, he still needs to increase output; currently he's only using about half of the many ponds he rented, with forty percent unused, and the shrimp fry supply is a bit insufficient.

It seems this year can only be like this; wait until next year when output rises, then drive the cost down.

As for the price at which he will sell,

It absolutely cannot be too low; if it's too low, there's no profit.

Nowadays, in this world, he is the sole cultivator of crayfish; not setting a price that's double would be letting himself down.

8 yuan!

He plans to first promote it at 8 yuan and see how it goes.

Back when crayfish sales were at their peak, restaurants could sell them for 15 yuan per catty.

Now it's the off-season, and his are heavy-metal-free farmed crayfish; at 8 yuan, they can take it or leave it.

Duan Yong sat aside watching Ye Cheng punch numbers into the calculator, writing a digit here and there, making his eyes blur.

After Ye Cheng stopped, he then leaned over and asked,

"Brother Cheng, what price would be appropriate for us to sell at?"

"8 yuan."

"8 yuan? That's so high, will it sell?" Duan Yong exclaimed in shock.

You know, before he only bought them for 3 yuan, which was already high; this is nearly triple.

"What's there that can't be sold? 8 yuan is the wholesale price; the normal retail price would be 12 yuan, but I don't want to do retail—it's too troublesome."

"Never mind all that; come with me to the city to talk. If we can reach an agreement, we'll prepare to supply."

After setting the price, Ye Cheng called Lao He, asked him a few things, then set up the water tank and pulled Duan Yong into the city.

In the city there is a vegetable market, which is the retail endpoint; goods like Lao He's are not sent directly to the endpoint—they go to a higher-level seafood wholesale market, which then supplies the market.

What Ye Cheng needs to find now is the seafood wholesale market; the largest in the city is the one on Guangjing Road. When Ye Cheng brought Duan Yong there, it was already past 9 a. m.

The market is huge, the ground slick with moisture, hundreds of stalls guarding their storefronts, with baskets of seafood lined up at the entrances.

However, few people come to procure goods, sparse and scattered; those stallholders don't solicit customers, just sitting at the door chatting.

Duan Yong curiously looked at them,

"Brother, why is there no business at all?"

"The time has passed; they usually do business at dawn, those market vendors come to wholesale, and now they're just guarding a bit of side business."

Large wholesale markets all operate in the early morning; making money is making money, hardship is hardship.

The two walked through the water for a stretch and stopped at the stall door of Yongfa Seafood, where many baskets lay on the ground, holding all kinds of fresh seafood.

"This is the place; Lao He's goods are sold to him."

The boss of Yongfa Seafood is a thin, middle-aged man, wearing a work apron, smoking a cigarette at the door, looking exhausted.

Seeing Ye Cheng and Duan Yong standing at the door looking, the boss didn't get up, just gave a casual greeting,

"If you want to buy something, have a look; everything is at wholesale price."

Over the years, there haven't been few walk-in customers buying seafood; although they can't match the volume of purchasers, selling a little is still something.

"Boss Kong, right? We're not here to buy anything; we have some goods we'd like you to look at, to see if you're interested."

Boss Kong frowned slightly; being able to call out his name means he was probably introduced by someone else.

However, when it comes to sourcing goods, he also has fixed channels and generally isn't keen to change them.

"What kind of stuff? I already have suppliers for ordinary seafood; we don't accept things of unknown origin." Boss Kong remained seated, speaking from his chair.

Ye Cheng didn't mind either, gesturing for Duan Yong to bring over the water tank: "Crayfish—Boss Kong, you've probably eaten them this year too; they're all the rage."

Boss Kong straightened up, glanced into the water tank, and gave a faint nod,

"I've tried this crayfish; the flavor is a bit strong, but I don't take this kind—you should try elsewhere."

Saying that, Boss Kong waved his hand, indicating they should leave.

Seeing that they were being sent away, Duan Yong felt a bit at a loss, holding the water tank and freezing in place.

Ye Cheng walked over, lightly patted him, told him to wait behind, then himself stepped forward and offered a cigarette,

"Boss, have a smoke; I'm from Baiyun Village, introduced by Lao He, who said you have the keenest eye, spot goods accurately, and can plan ahead—this batch of goods is right for you."

You don't strike a smiling face, and besides, he's praising himself.

Boss Kong took the cigarette, his expression eased considerably, and Ye Cheng quickly lit it for him.

"Lao He of Baiyun Village, right? He's also quite good at business."

"Exactly; he's the shrewdest at the whole dock—yesterday's giant grouper was also acquired by him."

Hearing Ye Cheng mention the giant grouper, Boss Kong's eyes lit up a bit, but he still didn't rise,

"Hmm, he sent me a huge giant grouper yesterday; you know that too?"

"The giant grouper is what I caught when I went out to sea."

Kong Lao Ban, upon hearing, couldn't help but sit up straight, "So you're someone who goes out to sea—then you still sell this?"

He pointed at the small lobster in Duan Yong's hand.

"I go out to sea, I also do some aquaculture—I even have a clam farm."

Ye Cheng said it nonchalantly, but Kong Lao Ban's face stiffened, his gaze toward Ye Cheng shifting from contempt to solemn.

He stood up, fetched two chairs from the shop, "Come, come, you two sit and chat."

Seeing the boss's attitude change so dramatically, Duan Yong's look at Ye Cheng shifted—Brother Cheng is indeed formidable.

After sitting down, Kong Lao Ban regarded Ye Cheng with interest, "Little brother, you're already farming clams—why are you still selling this thing? It's worthless, it's everywhere."

Ye Cheng gave a faint smile, speaking unhurriedly, "Kong brother, this is not to be found everywhere."

"This is the only one of its kind in the whole country." As he spoke, Ye Cheng's tone gradually softened, his face brimming with confidence.

"Only one?"

"Just this?"

Kong Lao Ban scoffed lightly, "Brother, I also grew up in the countryside—this thing is everywhere, where does the claim of being unique come from?"