In 2025, Qianjiang established 120 demonstration sites for crayfish farming in paddy fields that yield year-round harvests, covering a total area of about 333.33 hectares, setting an example and encouraging more farmers to join in. The city's crayfish output from November to February is expected to exceed 26,000 metric tons.
Besides policy support, the city government regularly organizes training for local crayfish farmers and provides subsidies to boost their enthusiasm.
"The price of crayfish in winter is at least double or triple that in summer. I've earned more money," says Li Fujian, 59, a crayfish farmer in Qianjiang.
According to the Qianjiang Crayfish Trading Center, the sales of crayfish around the Spring Festival holiday in 2025 reached more than 3,300 tons, and it is estimated that this figure increased by 10 percent during this year's holiday.
