According to Mr. Yang Weilong, the director of Suzhou Yangcheng Lake Hairy Crab Association, the average weight of each crab this year was 20 to 30 percent heavier than for last year. "The male crab was an average 90 grams and female is 120 grams this year."

Three reasons for crab putting on weight this year have been identified:

• Moderate weather has kept the water temperature at 28 degrees Celsius, the most ideal temperature for the crabs to grow in;
• environmental protection authorities have shut down some companies along the Yangcheng Lake to ensure cleaner water for the crabs;
• crab breeders have been using scientifically proven breeding techniques to get bigger crabs;

Hairy crabs available since last week include those raised in Gaochun Lake and Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province, and other lakes in Anhui Province. The first batch of 30 to 50 tons of the popular crabs will be available in Shanghai on this Saturday.

According to the Suzhou Yangcheng Lake Hairy Crab Association, the price of hairy crab will be five to 10 percent above last year's price which was 240 yuan (US$31.2) per kilogram, due to the increased market demand and rising costs of production. The biggest weighing 275 grams was expected to sell for 500 yuan (US$65) and the Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs said to be the tastiest of all crabs will cost 260 yuan per kilo this year.

The association also warned that any crabs being sold now in city markets are not the real thing.

"Customers can only purchase genuine Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs at large supermarkets such as Carrefour and E-mart and other licensed stores," said Yang Weilong, the association director. "Large quantities of crabs will be available around the Mid-Autumn Festival that falls on September 25 this year and accordingly the price will be a little higher then." After the week-long National Day holidays, the booming price would be dropping around October 10.

The crabs as the most delicacies will enjoy its popularity during the Mid-Autumn Festival on September 25