From the <a href="http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html">Oriental List</a>:

<quote>> It took me several hours to find a place to BUY blank CD's in Kunming,         
> and it took me almost a whole month of travelling to acquire a                 
> permanent marker to lable my CD's.  Try to pantomime "permanent                
> marker" someday -- it's difficult.                                             
                                                                                 
Could not compare to trying to mime "bubblewrap" - used newspaper                
instead - or mailing tube - found a storage tube for shuttlecocks in a           
sports shop.                                                                     
</quote>

Ahh, the Wonders of the Free Market.  <a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-03/24/content_317649.htm" title="China Daily">Tibet sees first zanba export</a>:

<quote>"The local foreign economic and trade bureau purchased zanba processed by my family at a price of 3.6 yuan (43 US cents) a kilogram. Then if each mu produces 300 kilograms of qingke barley, I can earn 150 yuan (US$18.1) more than before by selling zanba for export," said Zhandui.</quote>