On April 18, the first harvest of the season began at a crayfish farming base in Caobuhu Town, Dangyang County. Thanks to a mild winter and scientific aeration management, this year’s crayfish have hit the market about half a month earlier than usual. The base currently has a farming area of 1,000 mu (approximately 67 hectares), with an estimated total output exceeding 200,000 kg this year and an expected output value of 5 million yuan.

　　Across Yichang, the total crayfish farming area has reached over 58,000 mu (over 3,860 hectares), with an estimated production of 8,900 metric tons this year. Crayfish farming has become an important pillar industry for rural revitalization and farmers’ income increase in various regions of Yichang. (Sanxia Daily: Reporter/Zhou Zhongyu, Correspondents/Yang Lu and Wang Yawen)