CROWLEY, La. — The crawfish farming industry is still dealing with the effects of last year's drought and extreme heat.
There is a shortage of crawfish in the market, causing crawfish prices to rise per pound as the peak of crawfish season approaches.
Louisiana is the largest domestic producer of crawfish and its peak season runs from Mardi Gras up until the Easter holiday. Due to the 2023 drought, local farmers fear it's running a little behind.
According to the LSUAg Center, the damage may cost the industry up to 140 million dollars.
Busters Crawfish Shack owner, Bradley Zaunbrecher, has been farming since he was 16 years old. His son Shea also owns Zaddys'z Crawfish and Seafood Catering Wholesale. They say they are feeling the effects of the drought and say the expenses are getting too costly for so little reward.
"We only started seeing a few little crawfish now and started to get a few to the trap, but I think they hit $8 dollars a pound yesterday. Farmers can't go out an bait in the traps and pay the labor, we lose money every time we try and that's why the price is up," Bradley Zaunbrecher says.
The son agrees, noticing a decrease in supply at both businesses.
"Last year around this time we were catching anywhere from 20 to 30 sacks a day and that was only on 300 or 400 hundreds acres," Shea said. "Right now we have 80 acres and catching half a sack, 15 pounds if you're looking at a percentage wise it's under 5% of the catch of where it was last year."
A pound of crawfish doubled from last year, from $4.50 to now averaging $8.50 per pound.
In hopes of seeing crawfish season pick up again soon, the father and son duo ask that every crawfish lover continue to support and buy local.
