Ding Lei Chinese IT Boss Began to Raise Pigs

The Chinese portal website NetEase CEO Ding Lei began to raise pigs in Zhejiang. It was said that NetEase would found a new company in Zhejiang in November. The new company will be responsible for feeding pigs. The first block of pigs raised by him will be sold in Hangzhou in 2010.

Ding Lei founded NetEase in 1997. After years development, NetEase became one of the largest portal websites in China. Its business covered news, information, email and online games. In April 2009, NetEase acquired the operation right of the most popular online game World of Warcraft in China. In the Hurun Rich List 2009, Ding Lei was ranked at No. 27 with the wealth of 19 billion yuan (USD 2.78 billion).

Ding Lei put forward the thought of raising pigs in February 2009 during the Peoples Congress of Guangdong province. At that time he said that his main aim was not to earn money, but to make more people pay attention to the food safety and the protection of farmers interests. He would like to call this a trial rather than an investment. “I hope to find a reasonable and efficient way of raising pigs, which can be spread to the whole country.”

He invited a team of specialists to spend several months in comprehensive investigation for geologic hazard, underground water, soil condition, biologic safety and transportation. Then he decided to establish his pig farm in Zhejiang.

According to the source, in 2010, Ding Leis pig farm will provide the consumers in Hangzhou with 20,000 pigs per year. But the price is comparatively higher than the ordinary pigs.