Why China is crazy for crayfish?

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‍Watching football while enjoying crayfish and beer has become a treat for many Chinese World Cup fans.

But decades ago, crayfish was rarely seen on Chinese dinner tables or even deemed as an invasive species, harming rice seedlings and paddy fields.

Crayfish is one of the most popular Chinese cuisines /CGTN Photo

Crayfish popularity took off about 20 years ago in Qianjiang, a city in China’s Hubei Province, when people realized the lobster could become a culinary delicacy. Almost overnight, it went from being the “most hated” to the “most sought-after.”

Today, crayfish has become a cash cow for farmers with its growing popularity, and has grown into a business that accounts for one third of the economy of Qianjiang city. More than 100,000 people in Qianjiang city are involved in the business of raising, trading and processing crayfish.

A farmer is catching crayfish in the early morning /CGTN Photo

Ma Yulin, 65-years-old, is a crayfish farmer in Zhaonao village of Qianjiang. Waking up in the early hours of the morning has become a daily routine for him, especially at this time of year.

“I get up at around three in the morning, and spend about four hours catching crayfish each day. My catches can reach more than 300 kilos each day at the peak season,” Ma said.

Qianjiang is not only home to the largest farming bases, but also the largest crayfish trading center in China. That's where it's traded, packed and shipped to the rest of the country, and, the rest of the world.

Cooked crayfish /CGTN Photo

“In 2017, the output of the full industry chains reached 23 billion yuan. The number is expected to jump to 80 billion yuan within five years,” said Zhou Xi, director of the production department, bureau of aquatic products.

From zero to 23 billion yuan, Qianjiang city's success skyrocketed within two decades. And all it took were the fanatical crayfish eaters behind the table.

One crayfish store in Shanghai sells about 500 kilograms of crayfish every day. They cook crayfish in fifteen different ways including ice-cold, spicy, and garlic flavors.

“I enjoy taking off the crayfish shells, the sensation it gives me. It's quite fun and it releases my stress," said one customer.

Watching football while enjoying crayfish /CGTN Photo

China produced over a million tons of crayfish last year, but that only satisfied about half the country's demands.

Crayfish are also regarded as one of the best snacks for social gatherings. “When both my hands are occupied with removing the shells, I cannot check social media on my phone,” a customer said. “The only thing to do apart from eating, is to actually socialize with the people around me.”