CHANGSHA — Zhang Dehui springs out of bed at around 4 am each morning, while the sky is still dark, swiftly dons his waterproof waders and heads out to the crawfish fields.

He grows rice and farms crawfish in Nanxian county in Hunan province and has devoted 9.07 hectares of land to a method of farming known as "crawfish-rice rotation", which involves planting rice one season, and farming crawfish in the fallow fields the next.

"After midnight during the summer, temperatures are relatively cool, which makes crawfish less irritable and easier to transport," Zhang said, adding that he has built a temporary shelter among the fields, which allows him to sleep there and keep an eye on the crustaceans.

"Every day, I catch about 1,000 kilograms of crawfish in my fields. By rotating between crawfish and rice, I make a net income of about 45,000 yuan ($6,270) per hectare every year," he said.

Summer is crawfish season, turning Nanxian county into a bustling hub of activity. Situated in the hinterlands of Dongting Lake, China's second-largest freshwater body, Nanxian is known for its plentiful water and produces an impressive average daily yield of 850 metric tons of crawfish.

Mornings usher in a flurry of activity, as farmers take their catches to market.

"The combination of fertile soil, plentiful water, and climate greatly contributes to the exceptional quality of our crawfish," said Peng Liu, manager of a crawfish market. Dedicated to his work, Peng routinely greets the sun from the market, as he waits for deliveries.

"When we get the crawfish from the farmers, we carefully sort them and send the fresh ones to markets in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities in China, as well as to local food processing plants," Peng said.

At the Shunxiang Food in Nanxian, crawfish undergo systematic sorting by machines that classify them based on size. They are then moved through a series of automated and semi-automated procedures, including ultrasonic cleaning, steaming, cooling, stir-frying and mixing with various seasonings. Finally, they are packaged into differently flavored pre-prepared offerings.

"Our company's products include crawfish tails, whole crawfish and other lines, with an annual export value in excess of $20 million," said Liu Qunze, Shunxiang Food's deputy general manager.

Liu said that the company currently exports a wide range of crawfish products to over 40 countries and regions across Europe, the Americas and Southeast Asia. "We have developed a lineup of 200 different crawfish flavors to cater to different preferences and eating habits around the world."

In recent years, as part of rural vitalization and the modernization of agriculture initiatives, numerous Chinese counties have focused on improving the quality of their agricultural products. They have also embarked on efforts to explore international markets, with the aim of increasing the global recognition and popularity of products such as the crawfish farmed in Nanxian.

After arriving in China to pursue her studies, Vietnamese student Tran Thu Trang became interested in China's rich and diverse food culture. From the renowned Peking duck to savory soup dumplings and spicy crawfish, she has eagerly explored food streets in every city she has visited, sampling regional snacks and culinary delights and has shared her culinary adventures, posting vlogs of her food excursions on social media platforms.

"The local specialties in each Chinese city provide insights into the region's climate, geography and human history. For instance, the crawfish we sampled in Hunan Province exemplifies the local love of spicy cuisine," she said, adding that understanding Chinese cities begins with being able to appreciate their diversity of dishes.

Xinhua