An abundance of warm weather has led to an abundance in the supply of crawfish – and given that, a bit more abundance for the contents of your wallet as well, perhaps.
Crawfish prices have dropped from what was already a very low mark in January, with supply and demand in favor of the consumer thus far in 2020.
At Hebert’s Seafood in Boutte, boiled crawfish has dropped from $4.99 a pound to $4.59 from late January, while live crawfish has held steady at $2.99 over the same time period.
“The warm weather has helped a lot,” said Willie Hebert, Hebert’s Seafood owner. “We’ve had rather warm weather and that’s led to more of them out there. It’s looking pretty good right now.”
At the Seafood Pot in Destrehan, the price just dropped to $2.79 a pound live and $4.25 boiled, down from $2.99 and $4.79, respectively, in January. Last year at this time, he estimates the price was $3.50 a pound live.
“It’s really, really cheap right now. For being right before Easter, it’s super cheap,” said Seafood Pot manager Erik Donnaud. “The season’s just getting started right now in most years, but supply’s been plentiful for awhile so it’s kind of the prime season right now.”
Donnaud said Easter weekend usually represents the time of peak demand, with Good Friday a very popular day for crawfish boils. The extended supply in the weeks and months before that peak isn’t the norm, he said.
“People aren’t used to getting them this early at such a good price,” Donnaud said.
Hebert believes the strong supply could ultimately equate to a record year, after warmer temperatures from September to October of last year sparked an earlier than usual influx of viable crawfish. Donnaud agreed that this could lead to an extended season.
“Between the warm weather and the river being up, there’s a lot more water coming down and that adds to the season towards the end of it,” Donnaud said. “One year I remember we had them as late as September and this could be one of those. You never know what could happen, a lot depends on Mother Nature.”
The supply has been so strong that crawfish fishermen have been selecting larger ones to sell to market as the smaller ones are being passed on by buyers.
Thus not only is the supply strong, but so is the size and quality of the average crawfish purchase. With the smaller ones staying in the water, that also bodes well for next season as well.
“The quality of them has been better, they’re not using the little small ones … they’re bigger, better quality and the price is lower,” Donnaud said.
Hebert concurred.
“We’ve been busy, (customers) sure have been taking advantage,” Hebert said. “Business has been good.”
Casey LeBlanc, of Cajun Crab Connection in Des Allemands, said the supply is way up after a pair of back to back mild winters, which coupled with rainfall has led to ideal conditions.
“We’ve been non-stop,” LeBlanc said. “I’ll take a little rest when I come home, then I’m taking orders, my truck’s on route, I’m picking up, adjusting orders, how much I need for here and for here … I have to find some time to take a nap here and there. It’s kind of an around the clock business right now. We’ve been talking, from the docks to the haulers, about just how good and busy it’s been this year.”
Be the first to comment