The quest for crayfish has prompted China’s most prosperous city to enter a supply deal with one of the country’s most far-flung regions.
Shanghai will source crayfish from new farms in the southwesterly province of Yunnan under a partnership to alleviate poverty in Huize County. Some 217 households will raise crayfish in approximately 40 hectares of ponds, with Shanghai authorities guaranteeing a minimum price for the crayfish. Shanghai consumes more than 100,000 metric tons (MT) of crayfish per year.
This comes as Hunan Orovince – the third-largest regional producer of the species in volume terms – announced a shortfall in crayfish; it produced 135,700 MT of crayfish in 2017 but local consumption surpassed 200,000 MT>
Crayfish has become an important freshwater species across central China in particular as domestic consumption has soared. Once a major export commodity, crayfish has become a popular species for casual dining across China. Rising prices paid for crayfish are enticing producers into the sector, according to Wang Ming, head of the national Crayfish Alliance, an industry umbrella body. Wang estimates there’s been a fivefold increase in production so far in the Suqian region of Jiangsu, where farmers are encouraged to “double their money” by producing crayfish in paddy fields.
