SHANGHAI: There is an abundant supply of hairy crabs this year and as a result the season will likely be extended until the end of the year.

Crab prices fell slightly after the National Day holiday period. Crabs from Yangcheng Lake as well as from other places in Jiangsu, Anhui and Shandong provinces are all available at the Tongchuan wet market in downtown Shanghai.

"Production is higher this year than last," a crab seller surnamed Pan said. "Crabs sold at 40 yuan ($5.30) last year are being sold at 30 yuan this year," he said.

According to quality supervisor Dai Honggen, crab sales have been about the same as in previous years, but stocks are greater. Around 10 tons of crabs remain unsold most days, he said.

Male crabs weighing around 200 g are sold at 28-35 yuan per 500 g, Dai said.

"Crabs from most regions are dropping in price."

According to the Oriental Morning Post, crab prices at Yangcheng Lake, which is famous for its crabs, have dropped 10-15 percent compared with previous years.

Pan said crabs grow to their maximum length by the end of September and put on fat in October and November, making now the best time for crab consumption. Usually crab supplies decrease in November and prices are expected to rise by 20 percent.

Excess crab production in other regions has affected prices for crabs from Yangcheng Lake, according to Shen Xuexing, secretary for the Yangcheng Lake Crab Trade Union.

The abundant supply of crabs is likely to extend the season by 20 days, until the end of December, sales people said.

Shanghai's residents eat about 400 tons of hairy crabs a day at this time of the year. Many people take trips to Yangcheng Lake for fresh catches of the crustacean, causing traffic jams at the highway tollgates between Shanghai and Nanjing on weekends.