China: Opportunities for U.S. Crawfish Exporters as China is Expected to Become an Importer

Since 2014, domestic crawfish consumption has increased 68 percent to 1.1 million tons. Post estimates that in 2017, China became a net importer of crawfish as domestic production is unable to keep pace with rising consumption. Chinese consumers have a renewed interest in the “little lobster,” which was voted in several food media outlets as the country’s most favorite dish in 2017. Industry sources report that due to rising consumption and stagnant production, China could potentially need to import up to 300,000 tons of crawfish this season or into 2019. U.S. producers are well positioned to export crawfish to China that is estimated to be worth at least $1.8 billion based on current wholesale prices. 

China: Opportunities for U.S. Crawfish Exporters as China is Expected to Become an Importer