Taixing Jiangsha crabs. [Photo/WeChat account: txzhtx]
Taixing Jiangsha crabs, raised in the micro water environment formed by the Yangtze River and sandy soil, are popular in the market, with even high-quality ones selling for 100 yuan ($14.09).
At 7:00 am, farmers sort fresh Jiangsha crabs and classify them into different sizes based on weight, ensuring each batch meets the same standards and satisfies various customer needs.
After division, quality screening is the next step. Farmers identify high-quality crabs by navel color, posterior spine thickness, and other criteria.
Jiangsha crab is sourced from the Jianghai 211 variety and farmed in the Yangtze River. It has won the gold medal at the National River Crab Competition for over ten consecutive years.
The breeding area of Taixing Jiangsha crabs. [Photo/WeChat account: txzhtx]
While high-priced premium Jiangsha crabs are selling well, the leftover small and residual crabs are also being processed in the workshop to produce drunken crabs and crab roe paste.
Ma Chenjun, head of a local processing factory, said that processing 2,000 to 3,000 leftover crabs daily can yield over 1,000 bottles of crab roe sauce, and the daily sales of drunken crabs can total between 3,000 and 5,000 boxes.
At present, a complete industry chain for Jiangsha crabs is established in Taixing, supporting the high-priced sales of Jiangsha crabs.
The layout not only solves the sales problem, but also greatly increases the income of farmers, said Yu Chengbo, president of the Taixing River Crab Association.