Nansha picks up award as home of Chinese butter crabs

At the main forum of the 4th China Aquatic Seeding Expo, Nansha district in Guangzhou was awarded the title of "Home of Chinese Butter Crabs" on Nov 24.

The butter crabs in Nansha evolved from female blue crabs. They boast exceptional quality due to the district's location at the confluence of fresh and saltwater resources, suitable climate, and clean water quality.

Nansha has a warm, rainy, and humid climate with long summers and short winters, making it an ideal breeding ground for high-quality blue crabs. The excellent breeding environment has contributed to the unique qualities of the crabs, such as their thin shells, thick meat, and delicious taste.

Currently, the price of a 300-gram butter crab, of the highest quality, is around 600 yuan ($84). The price for a butter crab weighing 400 to 600 grams is over 1,000 yuan, while a crab weighing 700 and 800 grams can cost over 2,000 yuan.

Nansha currently has a crab breeding area of about 23,000 mu (1533 hectares), with an annual total output of 3,000 metric tons and a total output value of over 1 billion yuan. Its annual production of first-grade butter crabs is around 40 tons, with an output value exceeding 200 million yuan.

The butter crabs grown in Nansha. [Photo/WeChat account: nanshafabu]