Guinea pigs for China, courtesy of Peru
I’ll start with the bad news for anyone with a pet guinea pig: this blog post is not about pets. It’s about food staples — the guinea pig being a major one for Peru, with 65 million of the critters eaten each year. In addition to genetically engineering the perfect pig, Peru celebrates its culinary ...
I'll start with the bad news for anyone with a pet guinea pig: this blog post is not about pets. It's about food staples -- the guinea pig being a major one for Peru, with 65 million of the critters eaten each year. In addition to genetically engineering the perfect pig, Peru celebrates its culinary tradition in splendid a guinea pig festival.
I’ll start with the bad news for anyone with a pet guinea pig: this blog post is not about pets. It’s about food staples — the guinea pig being a major one for Peru, with 65 million of the critters eaten each year. In addition to genetically engineering the perfect pig, Peru celebrates its culinary tradition in splendid a guinea pig festival.
Alas, despite a bull market at home, exporting the creature has proven difficult in a world where guinea-pigs are at times more associated with cages and hampster wheels than with fine cutlery. But now from the blogosphere a rather brilliant suggestion: export to China. No qualms about pet vs. platter there. And guinea pigs are remarkably economical — at just $3.20 to feed half a dozen people. Sounds like guinea pigs are a recession proof (even countercyclical) market. I’m investing now.
Hat tip: Double Handshake.
STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
Elizabeth Dickinson is International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Colombia.
More from Foreign Policy


At Long Last, the Foreign Service Gets the Netflix Treatment
Keri Russell gets Drexel furniture but no Senate confirmation hearing.


How Macron Is Blocking EU Strategy on Russia and China
As a strategic consensus emerges in Europe, France is in the way.


What the Bush-Obama China Memos Reveal
Newly declassified documents contain important lessons for U.S. China policy.


Russia’s Boom Business Goes Bust
Moscow’s arms exports have fallen to levels not seen since the Soviet Union’s collapse.