Chinese farmers offered compensation to quit wild animal trade over coronavirus fears
- Breeders of species such as snakes, rats and civets will be paid to hand over their animals and start rearing domestic animals instead
- Central government announced ban in February and Hunan has become the first area to introduce a provincewide compensation scheme
A Chinese province has become the first to say wild animal farmers will be paid compensation if they cease operations and start raising other animals instead.
The move comes as the country tries to end a multibillion-dollar industry blamed for endangering public health while also attempting to pacify the millions of workers whose livelihoods depend on the trade.
Under pressure to contain a worsening outbreak in February, the central government said it would ban the trade and consumption of wild animals.
The central province of Hunan said on Friday that people who bred wild animals for food and who voluntarily closed their farms would be compensated and encouraged to raise other animals.
It was the first province to introduce such a policy, and under the scheme farmers will be paid 120 yuan (US$17) for each kilogram of snakes or 75 yuan for bamboo rats they handed over.