Crayfish Craze: Crayfish feast from the farm to the table

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03:20

Watching football while enjoying crayfish (OR Xiao LongXia) with beer has become a treat for many Chinese World Cup fans. Our correspondent Liu Xinqing and Yang Chengxi headed to both village and city, to file this "travel story" of crayfish.

5:00 in the morning, daybreak across much of China. But 65-year-old Ma Yulin has already worked for two hours. Ma is a farmer in Zhaonao village of Qianjiang city. A crayfish farmer, waking up in the wee hours of the morning has become a daily routine for him, especially at this time of year.

MA YULIN, FARMER ZHAONAO VILLAGE, QIANJIANG CITY "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."

Crayfish popularity took off about twenty years ago in Qianjiang, when people realized this "little lobster" could become a culinary delicacy. And almost overnight, it went from being the "most hated" to the "most sought-after". More than 100, 000 people in Qianjiang city are involved in the business of raising, trading and processing crayfish.

LIU XINQING QIANJIANG CITY, HUBEI PROVINCE "It's hard to imagine that 30 years ago, this odd-looking creature was seen as an invasive species, harming rice seedlings and paddy fields. Today, it has become a cash cow for farmers like Mr. Ma with its growing popularity and has grown into a business that accounts for one third of the economy of Qianjiang city."

ZHOU XI, DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF AQUATIC PRODUCTS "In 2017, the output of the full industry chain reached 23 billion yuan. The number is expected to jump to 80 billion yuan within five years."

From zero to 23 billion yuan, Qianjiang city's success sky-rocketed within two decades. And all it took were the fanatical crayfish eaters behind the table. As the Crayfish capital, Qianjiang is not only home to the largest farming bases, it also has 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.

It's dinner hour, and these crayfish are ready to be cooked.

YANG CHENGXI SHANGHAI "I'm Yang Chengxi in Shanghai and I'm here to explain why the citizens love them."

The word love is hardly an overstatement. China produced over a million tons of crayfish last year, but that only satisfied about half the country's demands. This store can sell up about 500 kilograms of crayfish every day. Ice-cold, spicy, garlic flavors, they are cooked in fifteen different ways.

CUSTOMER "I enjoy taking off the crayfish shells. It's quite fun and it releases my stress."

YANG CHENGXI SHANGHAI "Why the popularity? Well, apart from the intense taste, crayfish is deemed one of the best snacks for social gatherings. Because when both your hands are occupied with removing the shells, you cannot check social media on your phone. The only thing to do apart from eating, is to ACTUALLY socialize with the people around you."

As production starts to catch up with demands, crayfish is becoming one of China's favorite dishes to feast upon. Just probably don't wear a white shirt.

LIU XINQING REPORTING from QIANJIANG AND YCX REPORTING FROM SHANGHAI.