Yellow River mouth hairy crabs and Xinjiang Tianshan snow crabs were the first to go public, ushering in a "tasting period" for the hairy crab market
The best time to eat crabs is coming again. Based on past experience, the most well-known southern hairy crabs, mainly from Yangcheng Lake, are currently undergoing their final molting period, and will only be officially released and listed at the end of the month when the lake opens. But in the past two years, many crab loving foodies have found that the tasting time has arrived early, and Dingdong Maicai has officially started the ready to buy hairy crab tasting season almost a month before the market. The hairy crabs from high-quality production areas such as Huanghekou in Shandong and Altay in Xinjiang bring a variety of choices.
In Dongying Kenli District, Shandong Province, about 40 kilometers away from the confluence of the Yellow River and the sea, the thousands of acres of hairy crab breeding base directly harvested by Dingdong Maicai has entered a busy fishing season. Although the Yellow River Estuary is a high-quality breeding area for hairy crabs, it is less well-known, especially in the southern market.
In fact, in the alkaline soil and water environment of the Yellow River Estuary, hairy crabs do not need thick and hard crab shells to resist the erosion of acidic elements. The shells become thin and soft, which is more conducive to the growth of crab meat and nutrient accumulation. Meanwhile, although the water here is freshwater, it has a higher salinity compared to inland freshwater lakes and is rich in mineral components, which can give hairy crabs a natural and sweet taste similar to seafood. As autumn approaches in the north, the temperature difference between morning and evening is greater than in the south, and crabs complete their final molting earlier and are put on shelves earlier.
The same scene also appeared in the Altay region of Xinjiang. By the pond formed by the hydration of mountain snow, Xinjiang hairy crabs, which had molted their shells earlier than southern crabs, boarded air freight flights and arrived at consumer homes.
![Yellow River mouth hairy crabs and Xinjiang Tianshan snow crabs were the first to go public, ushering in a "tasting period" for the hairy crab market](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/e8a720fe6b8260b80584dc487082cd44.png)
According to the development personnel of Dingdong Maicai Aquatic Products, at the end of summer every year, there are June yellow and small-sized clear water crabs on the market in the southern region, while conventional sized hairy crabs usually have to wait patiently for their growth and sale. This year, multiple high-quality production areas of hairy crabs have been developed, and the pace of crab marketing has been planned earlier and longer. At present, consumers can purchase products such as Huanghekou hairy crabs and Tianshan snow crabs through the app, covering multiple characteristic production areas such as Shandong, Xinjiang, and Jiangsu. They can experience the freshness and sweetness of crab meat and the oil aroma of crab roe in advance.
The reporter learned that the overall Chinese mitten crab market is still in the early stages of tasting and is currently dominated by female crabs. By the end of September to early October, mature male female crabs will be on the market in large quantities. From the newly launched Huanghekou hairy crabs and Xinjiang Tianshan snow crabs, to the Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs available for sale at the end of September, consumers can enjoy them according to their preferences until early next year.
Text: Zhang Shihuan
Image: Dingdong Buying Vegetables
![Yellow River mouth hairy crabs and Xinjiang Tianshan snow crabs were the first to go public, ushering in a "tasting period" for the hairy crab market](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/ca18a1df9177c20e91384d245827b91e.png)
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