[GemGeek]

Thanks for the ideas. Jeremy is probably right. We'll have to wait and see, but it's so frustrating.

Blaire

[Bigwellpearls]

Originally Posted by jshepherd

I do not really know anything about that. Unfortunately I feel the same way as Raisondetre. It just seems impossible to me. I am going to forward this thread to Mr. You just to get his opinion.

Vigor,

What did you mean in your post? Donate to the farmers ... how? Is there something in China similar to the western Red Cross? Is there an non-profit organization that is dealing with this catastrophe?

Hi Jeremy,
I meant that fund donation would be given to individual pearl farmer one by one in accordance with their true losses, but nobody is allowed to exaggerate their losses. Only by the way of NGO can the donation be sent to all pearl farmers. I strongly suggest that the money donated by generous businesspeople should be collected by US NGO, such as Red Cross, Christian Church Association and then remit the amount to Xuwen Christian Church, representatives from U.S.A. can be appointed to handle this donation, I promise to give you a hand to withdraw the remittance from Bank of China, Zhanjiang Branch, and assign a trustworthy person to supervise allocations.
I will give you an A/C number available to remit by T/T, if those who are willing to donate.
Kind Regards,
Yours Sincerely,
Vigor He ( He Jiawu)

[pbazar]

From August 10th to August 13th, 2007, No.7 typhoon, Paboo attacked Leizhou Peninsula, Zhanjiang , it had been pouring rain excessively for four days. Flood with red soil which contains virus rapidly flowed into waters where Akoya pearl oysters are being cultured, pearls are about to be harvested in September and December. Ninety-five per cent of Akoya oysters died suddenly in Bigwell( 大井村Dajing/Dwajor/ Dyegon ) village，Xuwen County, nickname as No.1 Akoya pearl Village in China, What’s worse, 100 percent of Akoya oysters died in Qishui, Leizhou. Most farmers in Bigwell village got loans from the bank, some borrowed their relative’s money to invest in the pearl farm. Xie Shixue, one of the leading pearl farmers in Bigwell village was frightened to shock for a day and he woke after being injected medication, all of his Akoya oysters died, he lost two million yuan /RMB in this disaster.

Total amount of loss of pearls is 500 million yuan in Zhanjiang. All cultured fish, shrimp and mussels died. Aquaculture industry has been destroyed in this typhoon flood in Zhanjiang. Estimated loss amounts to 7 billion yuan.

Akoya oysters survived only about 400 million, so successful pearl oysters to be harvested left only 2 tons at the end of this year. Less than 10 tons of the previous year. Obviously, the price of Akoya pearls from Zhanjiang, China will rise by 25 percent in winter and next spring. On behalf of all pearl farmers in Zhanjiang, I heartfelt appeal to generous businesspeople who have loving kindness in developed countries donate money to save unfortunate pearl farmers, support them to recover facilities for culturing pearl oysters. Their children would not afford expensive tuitions for higher education in September if nobody donates money to them.

[purepearls]

It is truly a devastating hit for China, not only in pearls and other farm industries, but in so many other ways as well. Many people have lost their lives, including over 100 in a coal mine who were struck without notice by the flood. It is so unbelievably sad.

I think donating money is a great idea! However, I think it is really important to find a foundation in China who is honest and will actually put the money to use in the appropriate places.

My heart goes out to the families in need there!

[jshepherd]

As I mentioned last week, I sent a message to my business partner in China from the forum. This is his response:

I agree with Raisondetre. The gov. should aid the farmers to resume. Last week, the Xuwen gov. called on the people to donate to help the disaster area (everyone do it). But I don`t think the money can be sent to the poor people indeed. I don`t trust the gov. as well. No one knows how the money spend.

On 14th, I went to our farm with two reporters and we investigated most pearl farmers and fisher. Some people did lost all their own. I think the gov. can aid them some( gov. did) but the money is limited, not enough to resume. Now the bank can loan they as the instruction from the gov. Thanks so much for so many people regards. But if they want to donate, I can contact the local organization and can know how the money spend. The people in need can have your aid.

I sent $40,000 today from "us", as a type of loan. Mr. You is going to use it to pay farmers and buy shell, so nucleation should begin again shortly in Xuwen anyway. They will pull through this. Japan did in 1996.

The government of Guangdong also pledged $5.2 million to boost the development of the local akoya pearl industry. This was actually before the typhoon, but it shows that the government is getting involved in the industry. There is talk of some pretty exciting stuff, including the hybridization of the local shell with the Indian akoya.

[pbazar]

Jeremy what do you think the ramification of the loss of 90% of the Akoya including the juvenile shell not yet nucleated? I have seen this type of mortality before IE the Cook Islands and it has taken years to bring production back to pre incident levels. My preliminary assessment is this loss could be on terms with the worst in history.

[jshepherd]

Mr. You said the damage was at least limited to Zhanjiang. There are no shells in the area to purchase yet either, it will all have to come from hatchery or stock brought in from elsewhere.

If the farmers can re-nucleate and get shell in the water quickly, while they will not have anything to harvest this coming Winter, they will still have a future.

I am not sure what they are going to do with all the prematurely harvested akoya, though. There is not much of a market for it here.

I think akoya smaller than 7mm is going to be scarce in 2008...

Below is a shot of some of the deal shell in Xuwen.

[Bigwellpearls]

There are 500 households culture Akoya oysters in Bigwell village, leading pearl farmers are Li Er, Xie Linfa, Li Zhaoli, Xie Yongxin and so on. More than 100,000,000 Akoya oysters died
Those farmers have been picking died oysters on their farms to take out immature pearls for 7 days. They sell those pearls to pharmaceutical factories and arts & crafts studios. Unit price is at 800 yuan(US$125) per kilogram.Yesterday Xie Weixue’s wife told me that Xie Weixue had not eaten any food for three days, because he is frustrated by losses.
Up to now, the local government has not adopted aid measures to those poor farmers, who are very disappointed at the government.
It is high time that generous businesspeople donated money to them.
Vigor He
Skype:vigorhe2007
MSN:vigorhe@hotmail.com
E-mail:bigwellpearl@163.com

[Raisondetre]

I am more than sympathetic to the plight of the farmers. However, I do not think that anyone has the right to demand any donations. While the government has not stepped in, there are also wealthy people involved higher up in the pearl trade in China itself, locals who should be more than in tune with the situation being closer in proximity. Jeremy has stepped in through someone he knows and trusts, but people overseas who do not know the situation are not obliged to trust a stranger over the internet. There have been too many scams in the past, some based partially in fact, but the money never reached the victims.

Forgive my cynicism, but I will only donate money when I can be sure it's going to the right people. This forum is not only frequented by "wealthy" businessmen. Even if it is, Jeremy who has a farm in Xuwen itself has taken a hard hit and he has had to cope with his own losses while trying to help others on a limited scale. The number of consumers far outnumbers the vendors here. I do not mind forgoing my pearl purchase of the month to help people truly in need because I support the farmers, but only if I know where the money is going. NGOs mean nothing to me. When the tsunamis hit Indonesia NGOs were also involved, but most of the donations were still usurped by local authorities.

Perhaps you can also be more specific - how much donation were you expecting from here?

[salem]

Originally Posted by Bigwellpearls

It is high time that generous businesspeople donated money to them.

I really agree with Raisondetre here. The opinion that donations should be expected and required is rather distasteful to me. Donations should be the result of careful thought and personal conviction, not because there is any kind of pressure to make the donation. Donations should be strictly voluntary. Otherwise, it seems more like a tax.

Now, I do agree with Vigor that aid shold be given to the farmers. It is just tragic what has happened to the them. And while I do think companies who profit from these farms should help to restore them, it isn't really their responsibility. I think a lot more internal pressure should be placed on the shoulders of the local and federal governments to accept the responsibilty that rightfully belong to them. I am sure the Chinese government has made tons of money from the pearl trade, now they need to reinvest some of that.

And I think, from the consumer's standpoint, a safe place to donate would be welcome. As individuals we can't to much, but I know many people(who love pearls) who would like to do something. But that is the whole sticky part. If money isn't going from NGO'S to the proper people, and no-one feels safe donating to a stranger, we are all at a loss. Are any international charities doing anything about this? Can we raise awareness? Take out an ad in Pearl-World or other simliar publication?

[jerin]

Hi Salem and Raisondetre!

I agree wholeheartedly with Your posts, the feeling is very strong that we should have some kind of certainty where the money is going, I don´t want to get it to people that are "middle men" so I will wait until we have a safe source. I find it great of Jeremy to step in so fast, even if the money is a loan of kinds, he also has suffered a great loss together with his Chinese partner and I feel very strongly about the Cinese government take some responsibility towards it´s people!

Many times it seems to me, the government is counting on people from other countries to step in and give aid, when it would be the natural cause for it to give help.

Let´s hope that we can find a legal, honest source, where we can give a little monetary help.

[Slraep]

Mr. He,

Maybe the nice pearl farmers of Bigwell would like to donate some money to the relatives of my good friends, who are presently in Ica and Cajete, Peru. From what you have written, at least you still have medication, doctors, hospitals, fresh water, food, homes, higher schools and family members available. One of my friends cannot locate his aunt or his 90 year old grandmother. There is major looting and murder going on. Any kind of medical care is barely existant. Almost everyone there has been victim to loss of family members. IF ONLY they had food to refuse for three days.

As everyone can see, I am not particularly sympathetic to sending money to someone because their son or daughter won't be able to go to college next year when there are much bigger tragedies around the world besides loss of akoya pearl oysters, which will eventually be taken care of by the government.

Slraep

[jshepherd]

Very well put. I think the three of you have clearly conveyed the sentiments everyone here feels. There have been so many disasters around the world in recent years, and even those donated funds strictly monitored have always gone the wrong direction - at least in part. So just asking for donations for a disaster but in a murky way will not work.

Personally I feel, Vigor, that the best thing you can do for the farmers is to keep getting the word out. Your first post here you also emailed to people you know in the business. Now a lot of people in the business are sympathetic to the plight. We will now do what we can to help get the industry back on its feet through investments and loans. But trying to simply funnel money directly to farmers in need, especially given the rural area and the number of farmers, is just not a feasible solution.

[pernula]

May be it is best to give money to the general fund (i.e., not tied to a particular area or disaster) of an organization with international reputation, e.g., Save the Children, etc. That way their staff can decide where the money is needed and where they can put resoures into effectively. They have the data and contacts.

I do feel sympathetic to the pearl farmers, but have a dumb question. Is catastrophe insurance available for businesses in China?

Regards,
pernula

[Bigwellpearls]

Originally Posted by pernula

May be it is best to give money to the general fund (i.e., not tied to a particular area or disaster) of an organization with international reputation, e.g., Save the Children, etc. That way their staff can decide where the money is needed and where they can put resoures into effectively. They have the data and contacts.

I do feel sympathetic to the pearl farmers, but have a dumb question. Is catastrophe insurance available for businesses in China?

Regards,
pernula

Aquaculture industry is an adventurous industry, the insurance company in China does not insure this industry, it is difficult to evaluate, therefore, farmers have to risk on their own liability if disaster comes.

None of pearl farmers would had invested in insurance even if catastrophe insurance was available for pearling industry.
Vigor