Crayfish become Chinese New Year staple thanks to winter breeding

Once considered a seasonal summer delicacy, crayfish now feature prominently on Chinese New Year's Eve menus in central China's Hubei Province, thanks to improved environmental conditions and precise nutrition management.

Luo Jideng harvests crayfish at the Zhangjiayao experimental crayfish breeding farm in Qianjiang, central China's Hubei Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

At the Zhangjiayao experimental crayfish farm in Qianjiang, Hubei, farmer Luo Jideng was harvesting crayfish in the pond.

"Look at these crayfish. They're incredibly fresh," Luo said.

"Today, we harvested around 15 kilograms of crayfish. Those that haven't been sorted are selling for over 60 yuan ($8.60) per kilogram, which is double the price of those harvested in summer," Luo said.

"By carrying out engineering upgrades to traditional ponds and rice paddies and separating breeding areas from cultivation areas, we can precisely control breeding density and prevent crayfish from burrowing and going dormant. This makes it possible to harvest crayfish in winter," said Zhou Ziming, a technician at the Hubei Crayfish Industry Technology Research Institute in Qianjiang.

To ensure the crayfish are well nourished in autumn and winter, researchers have experimented extensively, providing fermented feed and mineral supplements so they can continue molting and growing even in colder months, Zhou said. He added that these measures ensure winter-harvested crayfish deliver not only reliable yields but also superior quality.

Qianjiang has now established 120 demonstration sites for winter crayfish farming across more than 20 townships and towns, covering 5,000 mu (333 hectares). This model has expanded cultivation to 40,000 mu of rice fields and over 30,000 mu of ponds, with total annual winter output expected to exceed 26,000 tonnes.

A dealer surnamed He (left) collects crayfish at a crayfish trading center in Qianjiang, central China's Hubei Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

In just the winter crayfish season alone, farmers can earn about 2,000 yuan more per mu than they did under the old single-season model.

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A chef cooks braised crayfish at a restaurant in central China's Hubei Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

The steady supply of crayfish has boosted not only farmers' incomes but also restaurants' confidence.

"This year, our Chinese New Year's Eve reunion dinners are built around crayfish dishes," said Dong Xinghua, manager of a local restaurant.

"We've already taken bookings for more than 100 crayfish banquets for Chinese New Year's Eve, and we've stocked over 500 kilograms of crayfish just for that day," Dong added.