Referred to as the mitten crab because of the dark cuff halfway up its claws, the drab looking grey crab is about 10 centimeters across and is renowned for its buttery golden roe and white dense meat. Although delicious, Taiwan’s Department of Health found that the crab was not safe to eat as it contained residue of the antibiotic nitrofurans. In October 2006, the DOH effectively banned its import after imposing strict testing procedures.
Wu Yu-de, founder of Miaoli-based Lake Emperor Crab Farm, said mitten crabs offered importers the promise of enormous profits as they retailed nearly four times over cost. “They sell for around NT$500 (US$16) per crab,” he said. “This is close to half what an entry-level office worker makes per day.”
According to Wu, local demand in 2004 and 2005 was “insatiable,” with the number of crabs legally imported into the local market totaling eight million. “If black market imports were included, this would have been much higher.”
With potential profits for Taiwan-bred mitten crabs glittering alluringly on the horizon, the sky is the limit for local importers prepared to invest in this fledgling industry based around the mainland’s most famous 10-legged critter.
The majority of Taiwan’s 11 mitten crab farms are located in northern Taipei County, where the subtropical climate is similar to that of Yangcheng Lake in mainland China’s eastern Jiangsu province—the most famous area for the crustaceans. Other farms are located in various spots throughout the country, and even Kinmen, one of Taiwan’s outlying islands.
Hong Ming-chang, owner of Chiayi-based Hong Brothers Aqua Farm, said one of the biggest obstacles to successfully breeding mitten crabs in manmade pools was their penchant for cannibalism. “In a smaller environment, the survival rate of the crabs drops to as low as 10 percent,” he said. “But by reducing the number of crabs in each pond, most farmers are now reporting a rate of 40 to 50 percent.”
While adult crabs grow well in captivity, the problem of breeding their larvae in Taiwan remains an issue. At present, most farmers import these from mainland China, and as they are not for human consumption, drug testing is not a problem.
Several private mitten crab associations are working with academics to develop local breeding skills. Professor Nan Fan-hua, director of the Traceability Certification and Inspection Center at Keelung’s National Taiwan Ocean University, is upbeat about the future prospects of research in this field.
“Our lab specimens have produced eggs that hatched into swimming-larvae,” he said. “A commercial platform for this breeding technology is close to being released.”
In a welcome twist to Taiwan’s mitten crab industry, farmers have started branching out into the world of “organic crabs.” Instead of growth hormones and low-quality feed, as on the mainland, Wu gives his crabs a daily diet of pumpkin, oats and fresh fish.
Hong, who is also dabbling in the organic game, has created an “ecological aqua farming” method, keeping his crabs in a pond where water plants provide oxygen and food.
“The crabs live in a self-sufficient environment where they can be energetic and healthy,” he said. “They are not fed with chemicals to boost their growth and average between 100 to 200 grams, which is slightly smaller than the mainland Chinese ones.”
Wu and Hong have even offered to put their products through the paces of drug testing at university labs, as no testing standard for locally-bred mitten crabs is currently in place. Wu said this strategy has worked well, with a number of major hoteliers in Taiwan ordering his crabs because they are proving to be fresher than imported ones in the past.
Chen Chiu-yen, head of marketing at the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture’s Fisheries Agency, estimates annual sales of locally-bred mitten crabs over the last two years at between 200,000 and 300,000. “We expect this year’s number to rise further as the crabs become increasingly recognized and sought after by consumers.”
Echoing Chen’s remarks, Nan urged the government to capitalize on the crabs’ quality and establish a certificate of origin scheme for Taiwan-bred mitten crabs. “This will assist in the market’s development and help local crabs challenge mainland Chinese ones internationally.”
Nan explained that only Taiwan and mainland China produce mitten crabs, with the latter enjoying a low-cost advantage. “Crabs from across the strait are a lot cheaper, especially when the costs associated with using organic environments are factored in,” he said. “We must establish a Taiwan brand that lets the world know that crabs from the island are of unsurpassed quality.”
As Taiwan’s mitten crab industry gains momentum, those involved in the business predict they will feed the local market and expand overseas. “My crabs can crawl a long way,” Wu laughed. “One day, they will make it to the top-end banquet tables in Hong Kong, Singapore and even mainland China.” (JSM)
Write to Tien-ying Hsu at: tyhsu@mail.gio.gov.tw