Crawfish proves pricey as supplies lag

Crawfish, a popular delicacy that appears regularly on Chinese dining tables, has seen its price climb sharply, as the supply fails to keep pace with growing demand. May, when crawfish mature, is the start of the peak season for crawfish eating, which runs until September.

At Guijie, Beijing's famous food street, it is common for diners to line up for hours to get a taste of crawfish, which can be spicy, garlic, or salty.

Smaller crawfish sell for 7 yuan ($1.1) each at restaurants in Guijie, while larger ones usually retail for 10 yuan. A dish of 20 crawfish can be as expensive as 298 yuan.