County in Jilin transforms saline land into crab, water bamboo farms
By Liu Mingtai in Changchun and Guo Yanqi |
chinadaily.com.cn |
Updated: 2026-08-05 17:25
Share
Share - WeChat
That foundation allowed farmers to move beyond rice. Chinese mitten crabs are now raised in paddy fields, allowing two harvests from the same land.
Ge Jun, an aquaculture farmer from Anhui province, moved to Zhenlai in 2020. His first crab trial succeeded, but crayfish brought from the south died soon after release.
After four years of tests with research institutes, his team switched to much smaller larvae and used greenhouses and nursery ponds to help them adjust to the colder climate. The method found success in 2024.
The northern growing season gives producers a later sales window: Zhenlai crayfish reach the market after supplies from the south begin to decline, and its crabs mature even later in the autumn.
