Porphyra has now been put on the market in Pingtan county, Fujian province, about 20 days later than last year though.

The delay is due to the hot weather, as an expert told the Pingtan Times.

A villager lays out porphyra in the sun to dry it at Jianmin village, Pingtan county, Fujian province. [Photo/pingtan.gov.cn]

“The growing of Porphyra is affected by water flow, water temperature, rain, air temperature and wind. It was really a hot September, and the high temperature of the waters resulted in an unfavorable environment for Porphyra,” he said.

Porphyra, short for porphyra-haitanensis, is a kind of seaweed, subject to artificial cultivation. It originated in Pingtan, an island county in East China’s Fujian province and is known for rich animo acids, mineral substances and vitamins.

Porphyra cultivation is a traditional aquaculture industry in Pingtan and is concentrated in waters off the islets of Aodong, Yutou and Nanhai. At Jianmin village alone, more than half of the residents are porphyra famers with an accrued plantation area (land and water included) of 1,700 mu (113 hectares).

Liu Zhenyao, one of the leading porphyra famers in the village added that stronger-than-expected wind and waves have also compromised the yield of porphyra this year.

The good news for the farmers, however, is that the price of porphyra has soared due to the inadequate supply. Now it is being sold between 200 to 220 yuan ($33-$36) per kilogram, about 25 percent higher than it was before, the newspaper said.