Chinese to get bite of German hairy crabs

(ECNS) -- From Tuesday to Sunday, foodies in China can group-buy German hairy crabs, also known as Chinese mitten crabs, through Taobao, China's largest online marketplace, according to the Nanjing-based Yangtze Evening Post.

Native to the Pacific coasts of China and Korea, Chinese mitten crabs arrived in European waters in the early 1900s. Scientists believe they traveled from Asia to Europe on merchant ships, hidden inside the vessels' ballast waters.

Last year, foreign media reported that Chinese mitten crabs dominated German waters, where they had been ruining fishing nets, harming local species of fish and destroying dams, causing losses estimated at US$100 million, while local fishermen have been making money catching and selling them to local Chinese restaurants. Many businessmen saw opportunities and the supplier of this group buying is one of them.

A supplier named Jiao Jian said he signed the contact with a German sea food company after a long-time negotiation. The presale crabs are from Elbe River and the German company will catch crabs once the presale period ends, he said. The crabs will be transported by air and foodies in Yangtze Delta will receive the order within 48 hours, he added.

Jiao also said he would only supply a batch of German crabs this year as a trial to test Chinese consumers' attitudes.

Netizens said the crabs in Germany may have better taste because of clean air and water there.

http://www.ecns.cn/cns-wire/2013/08-20/77904.shtml