my wonderful zoo

Chapter 129 Salt Benefits
"In the third quarter, the military government's salt production reached 50 stones. With the renovation of several salt fences in Dongguan County, the production will further increase. It is estimated that next year, the military government will be able to produce 300 million stones of salt. According to the cost At ten cents per stone and the wholesale price is five cents per catty, the gross profit can reach 120 million taels. For retail, the profit is even higher."

Today is October 25th. Liu Yu came to Chen Xun's office for a routine work report every five days.

"With so much salt produced, can it be sold?" Chen Xun asked.

In the past, there were so many salt gates in Guangzhou, and the total annual output was only 50 stones, which almost supplied the entire Guangnan East Road area. Now that the output suddenly doubled, I wonder if sales will become a problem.

"Don't worry, we only stipulate the ex-factory price, and the ex-factory price is cheaper than private salt. We don't limit the retail price. The supply will definitely exceed demand." Liu Yu replied: "It is estimated that by then the private salt dealers on several roads around Guangnan West Road will They will all purchase goods from us.”

The price of salt in the Song Dynasty was extremely high, and there were four major salt-producing areas in the country.

The salt from Jiezhouchi in Shanxi is of high quality and low price. The cost of making salt is about one penny, and the terminal selling price is about forty pence.

Among the low prices of sea salt in various places, the cost of salt production is also about one penny, and the terminal price exceeds forty penny.

Taiyuan bittern salt is of low quality and low price, the cost is less than one penny, and the selling price is less than forty cash, but higher than thirty cash.

Sichuan well salt is of high quality and high price. It costs three to four cents and sells for more than one hundred cents.

Here in Guangzhou, the price of salt from Yanzha used to be only four or five cents per catty (including the profit of Yanzha, the profits of salt households, etc.), but it can be shipped dozens of miles, and the official selling price is already over forty cents. Black No borders.

The ten-fold price difference shows how high the profits in official salt are.

According to Chen Xun's calculations, half of the Song Dynasty's fiscal revenue of more than 1 million yuan should come from salt tax.

This is the result of corrupt officials getting their hands dirty.

Looking at the unofficial history and the Hebei rebels, many giants started their business by selling illegal salt.

How can Song Jiang maintain his image as a money-spreading boy with "timely rain"?Wasn't it because he was a prison officer with great power and secretly controlled more than half of the private salt business in a county.

Although the ex-factory price of the military government's broken promise has reached five cents per catty, it seems to be no different from the previous ex-factory price of salt fence.

But you know, the military government really only wants five cents per catty. If the merchants transport the salt out, where can they sell it?How much does it cost?How to sell?Ignore them all.

Within the territory of the military government, even if taxes and residence taxes are added (the two taxes on salt are 50% each), the sales cost will not exceed [-] cents. If small vendors sell it along the streets or the salt is transported out of the territory of the military government, , save on housing tax, the cost will only be lower.

In the past, when private salt traders purchased salt from Yanzha, the cost was twice as high as the official price, and the price of salt from Yanzha had already reached ten cents.

Coupled with the subsequent labor costs (the labor costs are very high for illegal activities), if the price of private salt is less than [-] yuan, it is considered a loss-making business.

"Salt policy is a major policy related to people's livelihood. There should be no sloppiness. Although private traders are allowed to sell, the sale of official salt cannot be stopped. It is necessary to ensure that the price of salt on the market is always within the control of the government so that the people can eat it. Cheap salt." Chen Xun warned.

The cost of drying salt is much lower than boiling salt, so Chen Xun dares to do this. Otherwise, if he boils salt to make salt, Chen Xun would not have the capital to lower the price of salt.

"Don't worry, we have official grain stores in every town, which sell the basic materials needed for people's lives. We sell them at low prices and in limited quantities all year round, ensuring that the prices of grain, salt and other important materials on the market will not be lowered. Unstable." Liu Yu replied.The limit here is not how much can be sold per day, but how much can be purchased per person per day.

Within this limit, people can buy low-priced grain and salt. If it exceeds the limit, it will be the market price.

The limited range can basically meet the needs of a family of five for three days. In other words, each household can purchase from the official grain store every three days to ensure that they can enjoy the low-price grain and salt provided by the military government for the next three days. .

If more members of the family go there, this interval can be lengthened.

This low price will not be lower than the cost price. The military government will purchase a large amount of new grain during the grain production season, then store it, and take out the stored grain at other times. After adding storage costs, labor costs, management costs and meager profits Then sell it.

Just like this year's new grain price is only [-] penny per shi, the official grain price is now [-] penny per catty, and the price of grain in private grain stores on the market has reached [-] penny per kilo.

This policy of limited sales is mainly to prevent large households from buying large quantities of low-priced grains to hoard them and disrupt the market.

After all, the military government’s food supply is not unlimited.
Moreover, in order to avoid the impact of limited-edition and low-priced grains on the normal grain trading market, Liu Yu restricted coarse grains to be sold as limited-edition and low-priced grains. The price of finely processed grains will only be slightly lower than that of private grain stores.

The same goes for the sales of "official salt". The official cost is only ten cents per kilo. Even if it is shipped to a grain store for sale, the cost will not be higher than one cent per catty. The actual selling price is fifteen cents per catty. Not only is the profit very high, but also Able to control the selling price of private salt on the market.

"Okay." Chen Xun calculated in his mind, and then expressed his concerns: "If we follow this policy, it feels like our grain reserves will still be insufficient."

"Enough grain has never stopped. With the opening of official grain stores, more and more landowners can no longer bear it and begin to sell grain to the military government." Liu Yu said and laughed: "Their grain If they are kept at home and cannot be sold, they will only become moldy. Selling them cheaply to the people is time-consuming and labor-intensive, so it is better to sell them all to us.”

"This is good. In the future, it will be difficult for them to control the tenant farmers with food." Chen Xun sighed.

"Having said that, I have to report good news to you. Now under the jurisdiction of the military government, more and more debt slaves have come to the government to apply for personal bankruptcy." Liu Yu said: "With these people, our workers The number will increase and the labor shortage will finally be alleviated."

To be honest, personal bankruptcy is a bit tricky for creditors.

But to solve the current problem of a large number of debt slaves among the people, we can only allow individuals to go bankrupt, otherwise we will have to fight against the local tyrants to divide their land.

As a person with a golden finger, Chen Xun can adopt a more gentle approach to transition, and there is no need to kill the elites with one blow.

To be honest, even if we deny the class of gentry and wealthy merchants, we have to admit that this class is indeed the elite class in society.

If the military government wants to develop, it cannot be separated from the vast peasant and working class, and it cannot be separated from the gentry and wealthy business class.

There is no stability without farmers, and there is no wealth without business. This is a wise saying in future generations.

While the two were talking, rapid footsteps suddenly came from outside the door, and then Chen Xun's personal guards rushed in and handed them a red bamboo tube.

This is intelligence of the highest order.

(End of this chapter)