Chinese hairy crab super cheap price

Chinese hairy crab, once a luxury food costing millions of dong per kilogram, is now sold in Vietnam for 350,000-800,000 dong, the lowest price ever.

Hairy crabs - the best crabs in China - have seen their prices continuously drop in recent years. Last year, 4-5 hairy crabs were sold in Vietnam for 1.1 million VND per kilogram, and 6-8 crabs for 500,000-700,000 VND. This year, the price has dropped by another 30%, to around 350,000-700,000 VND per kilogram, depending on the type.

Ms. Hoang Anh (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) said that she buys this crab every year but has never seen it as cheap as it is now. "From 2 million VND per kilogram when it first appeared in Vietnam, hairy crabs are now 350,000 VND for 6-8 crabs and 650,000-800,000 VND per kilogram for 4-5 crabs," she said.

Also a hairy crab enthusiast, Ms. Diem Anh in Go Vap, said that this was the first time she saw the price of this crab cheaper than Vietnamese crabs and swimming crabs. Previously, this type was very expensive and scarce, but now the price has dropped sharply and it is much easier to buy.

Mr. Hoang, the owner of a seafood shop on Dien Bien Phu Street, Binh Thanh District, who has been selling hairy crabs for the past five years, said that this type is increasingly imported into Vietnam, making the price more popular and affordable.

According to him, the price of hairy crabs has dropped sharply this year because importers are focusing on small sizes and grade 2 and 3 products more than grade 1 products. In addition, China has promoted the farming of hairy crabs in large quantities, creating an abundant supply, so the price has decreased.

However, Mr. Tran Van Truong, CEO of the Hoang Gia seafood chain, said that in the Chinese market, grade 1 hairy crabs still cost millions of VND per kilogram. Crabs priced at 350,000-400,000 VND sold in Vietnam are mostly drifted, with weak meat and little roe.

"Currently, hairy crabs are in the early season, October is the time when the quality is best. We are waiting to import goods when the crabs are at their best," Mr. Truong shared.

He also said that only about a third of the hairy crabs sold on the market are "full roe," while most of the types 3 and 4 have little or no roe. These types are often imported to Vietnam through unofficial channels and are becoming more and more popular in the market.

Consumers have also noticed this, saying that the quality of cheap hairy crabs this year has declined. Many of them are not as firm and have less roe than in previous times, somewhat reducing the culinary experience of this crab dish that was once considered delicious and luxurious.

According to traders, October and November are the best months for hairy crab. From December onwards, the quality will gradually decrease and the amount of crab roe will not be as abundant as in the main season. In China, hairy crab is a specialty that brings in billions of dollars in revenue each year, with the price of processing it in restaurants reaching 4-8 million VND per kilogram.

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