For many foodies in China, summer isn’t complete without a cold beer and a hot plate of crayfish. 

But recent heavy rain across many parts of the country, combined with boiling summer heat, has made harvesting of the delicacy much more difficult.

Originally a Cajun specialty from the US State of Lousiana, crayfish became a staple of China’s summer snacking culture in the 1990s.

There’s a growing appetite for the freshwater crustacean but Chinese foodies are fretting over the scarcity of this traditional summer delight.

“As a result of the extreme weather, crayfish farmers are all raising their prices. Now buyers are resorting to stopping their trucks in the middle of the highway just to get some supply,” said a crayfish fan.