May I suggest sea cucumber?

Yue Liu, November 17, 2009, Beijing.

Sea cucumber, a strange-looking sea animal that is not familiar to most Western cultures, is considered a delicacy in China and in other Southeast Asian Countries. According to several studies, sea cucumber not only tastes good, but is also very nutrient: high in amino acid, minerals, collagen and vitamins. Chinese people call sea cucumber “Ginseng of the Sea.”

Because of its delicacy status in the Asian food culture and the new discovery of its nutrient values, sea cucumber became ever more popular among the customers in Asian countries. Its market price is relatively high compares to other sea foods. There are broad markets and related aquatic product industries for sea cucumbers in East and Southeast Asian countries, with the largest in China.

The sea cucumber industry has already become one of the most productive and profitable aquatic product cultivating industries in China. In 2008, the industry cultivated more than 90,000 tons of sea cucumbers and the industry-wide product value is more than 200 trillions RMB. To regulate this important profitable industry, on Nov. 17, the Sea Cucumber Branch of the China Aquatic Product Distribution and Processing Association was established. The establishment ceremony was held in the form of a sea cucumber promotion conference. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the Ministry of Health were in attendance.

The officials gave speeches at the conference and the agencies promised to ensure the sea cucumber industry’s products and procedures comply with the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Law and The Law of Food Safety. The purpose of the Association is to supervise the quality and safety of the sea cucumber industry to ensure the sustainable development of the industry. It is good to know that the Chinese and Southeast Asian customers can trust the quality of the sea cucumbers in their plants.