Hairy crabs from Yangcheng Lake in Jiangsu Province, considered to be the most delicious, went on sale in Shanghai yesterday.

A fishery administrative department worker measures a Yangcheng Lake Chinese mitten crab in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept.12, 2007. [Qi Zhenlin/Xinhua File Photo]

A total of 500 kilograms of Yangcheng Lake crabs were snapped up at the Jindazha crab monopoly store yesterday, all advance orders.

The store can take orders for 500 kilograms of crabs every day but supply is limited as most crabs haven't matured yet, said Wu Shujuan, a marketing manager with Shanghai Jinhai Food Co Ltd, the only Shanghai member of the Suzhou Yangcheng Lake Hairy Crab Association. The company operates the monopoly store.

Thirty supermarkets took in a total of 450 kilograms of crabs for the first day but sale details weren't available yesterday.

Crabs of 125 grams were costing 176 yuan per kilogram, 150 grams, 316 yuan 175 grams, 396 yuan 200 grams, 576 yuan and 250 grams, 776 yuan.

There are expected to be about 1,500 tons of Yangcheng Lake crabs produced this year, 500 tons down on last year and the smallest amount for the past 10 years, according to the association.

At present, only 20 percent of the crabs are mature and ready to be harvested. Larger quantities of crabs are expected to reach the market after September 28.

"To improve the water quality in Yangcheng Lake, the local authority reduced the crab-farming area from 5,195 to 2,131 square meters, causing the drop in production," said Yang Weilong, association director.

However, customers have been promised that the taste this year will be better because of the water quality.

(Shanghai?Daily?September 11, 2008)