Hairy crab breeding has brought a lot of money for locals in Nanmo town, Hai'an. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

It is currently the season for eating hairy crabs, as the ninth lunar month has begun. Workers at a breeding base in Huangchen village, Nanmo town, Hai'an – a county-level city administered by Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province – are busy feeding and selling hairy crabs.

The 1,600-mu (106.7 hectares) water area, home to tens of thousands of juvenile crabs, is expected to begin its harvest period soon. "Due to the adoption of scientific breeding methods, hairy crabs are larger than usual," said Sun Zhengming, owner of the crab pond.

As the scale of breeding continues to expand, the benefits are increasing. During the peak sales period, 2,000-2,500 kilograms of crabs are sent from Huangchen village to other of the country every day.

"I estimate that the yield per mu will reach 150 kg this year," Sun added. "Last year, I made more than 1 million yuan ($155,070). If the market is good this year, I think sales should exceed 1.2 million yuan."

Hairy crab breeding has become a new way for local villagers to make money and raise their living standards. Many villagers also package the crabs as part-time workers.