Prices for crawfish this season may be steep, and finding the delicacy could prove to be a challenge for avid lovers.
Scarcity is being attributed to drought and other weather impacts, leading to numerous seafood suppliers and restaurants announcing delays.
“It’s going to be the worst season ever,” Louisiana State University AgCenter crawfish specialist Mark Shirley told Louisiana Radio Network. “The population is just not there. The buyers are offering $7 and $8 a pound to the fishermen just to try to get them to go out and bait traps and go find them. It could be whatever price, they’re just not there.”
Crawfish, commonly known as mudbugs or crayfish, are small crustaceans found in freshwater. They have a flavor reminiscent of both lobster and shrimp. In Louisiana, the agricultural industry has faced significant challenges. Despite the potential for 361,000 acres to be utilized for production, the occurrence of drought has hindered farmers from irrigating their fields.
Heat has been identified as a factor that affected crops during the growing season, while the recent cold weather has been blamed for its impact on the harvest.
“The mud from May through July was often too dry for the crawfish to burrow down in, and many of them died or their growth was stunted,” food website Eater Houston reports. “Now many farmers are waiting for the population to recover, but predictions of cold snaps in Louisiana this January also have some farmers worried and hesitant to spend money on bait, gas to run boats, and labor to check crawfish traps daily until conditions show improvement.”
According to the LSU AgCenter, crawfish are touted as a nutritious option due to their high-quality protein content and low levels of calories, fat, and saturated fat. In addition to being rich in vitamin B12, niacin, iron, copper, and selenium, they also provide valuable nutrients. They are typically cooked by boiling, but can be found in a range of dishes, including gumbos, étouffées, and pistolettes.
The majority of the harvest occurs between December and June, with the spring months of March, April, and May being the busiest in the Bayou State.
K & B Seafood, a Mississippi seafood market, recently took to Facebook to highlight the widespread impact of the current situation, emphasizing that farmers are not the only ones affected.
“If you are able, please support your local farmers, docks, and boiling houses as this will be a really tough year for everyone involved,” K & B Seafood wrote.
According to a report from Baton Rouge TV station WVLA, the average prices for the week of Jan. 12 were $12.99 a pound, almost twice as much as it was during the same period last year.
“Louisianians have been spoiled the last 5 years with an early start to crawfish season, some years as early as November and December, but 2024 is going to be different. We’re hopeful supply will pick up in the coming weeks, and prices should normalize in time for the Lenten season. But we have to be patient,” Laney King, co-founder of The Crawfish App, told Fox Business.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings