Crawfish production better, but still recovering from drought

Texas crawfish production is faring better than last year’s dismal harvest, but the industry has not fully recovered to meet consumer demand following multiple rounds of harsh weather conditions this winter, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Todd Sink, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension aquaculture specialist and director of the AgriLife Extension Aquatic Diagnostics Lab, Bryan-College Station, said drought was the leading contributor to 2024’s poor harvest. But this season multiple freezes and historic snow events across East Texas and Louisiana stunted crawfish growth and delayed some harvests on Southeast Texas farms.

“While we’re doing better than the last two years, we’re nowhere near what I would consider to be a bumper crawfish season,” Sink said. “In order to have a good year, we need to have milder summer temperatures without drought conditions, plenty of rain during the fall and winter prior to harvest, lots of forage production, and a mild winter.”

Crawfish prices expected to be higher

While early season harvests were promising in terms of size, Sink said those crawfish were holdovers from the previous year. Now what remains are small field-run crawfish that need more time to grow.

“The cold fronts that passed through early this year dropping temperatures to near freezing slowed crawfish growth, but warmer temperatures have the crawfish gaining size again,” he said.  

The lag in supply amid ongoing consumer demand will translate to above-average prices per pound and limited availability in some markets.

Live crawfish are unavailable at many San Antonio retailers, and locations offering boiled crawfish are few and far between, he said.

Sink said live crawfish in Houston are averaging around $4.19 per pound when they would generally be between $2.75-$3 this time of year. In College Station, live crawfish is around $3.77 per pound when available. 

In College Station, prices for boiled crawfish range from $8.97-$10.49 per pound. While Houston is seeing slightly lower prices at $6.99-$10.99 per pound, in Dallas the prices range as high as $16 per pound.

Crawfish market trends

Because production reporting in Texas is voluntary, precise numbers on farmed acreage and pounds produced per acre are not readily available, Sink said.

“We have about 40 producers in Texas farming close to 18,000 acres,” Sink said. “While Louisiana bases its economic modeling on producing around 650 pounds per acre, we’ve had some Texas producers harvest as much as 850 pounds per acre during a good season.”

Sink said this variation is due to slightly different production methods used in Texas.

While Louisiana heavily utilizes a crawfish-and-rice field rotation, some producers in Texas have transitioned to year-round pond production for crawfish.

“That buys you another two months of harvest, so you can get more per acre because you’re harvesting longer,” Sink said.

Despite the installation of several new farms, Texas ranks No. 2 in crawfish production and still lags far behind Louisiana, the nation’s top producer.

“Unfortunately, we really don’t have enough area left in Texas with suitable water, soil and climate to expand the crawfish industry,” Sink said. “And those regions that do exist, such as the Houston area, are viewed as much more valuable for real estate development.”

Optimistic outlook for future crawfish crops

Sink said the success of each crawfish season depends heavily on the conditions of the prior year.

Because last year’s severe drought decimated much of the crawfish crop, there weren’t many crawfish remaining to reproduce for this year’s harvest. However, with adequate rain and forage production, Sink remains optimistic for ongoing recovery.

“We’re starting to build those stocks back up in the ponds,” he said. “As long as the weather and everything holds, next year should be better — and the year after that should be even better.”

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Central

Dry conditions persisted with warm weather. Winds depleted soil moisture levels. High winds and the lack of green grass raised concerns about fire danger. Summer perennials emerged slowly due to dryness. Farmers planted corn. Winter wheat and oats made slow but steady progress, with most livestock turned out on pasture. Some corn and grain sorghum emerged. Cattle prices dropped, while sheep and goat prices held steady.

Rolling Plains

Repeated red-flag warning days of high winds across the area took their toll on soil moisture. Any gains from recent rains and wintery mixes were mostly eliminated. The high winds and blowing dust could lead to health concerns for livestock, but the extent remained unknown. Dry conditions and sustained high winds in the forecast increased concerns for wildfires across the Rolling Plains. A widespread, long-lasting precipitation event was needed to improve conditions.

Coastal Bend

A heavy frost early in the week set back warm-season pasture growth, while high winds and a lack of rainfall depleted topsoil moisture. Soil conditions worsened as dry weather persisted, with moisture levels becoming critical. Corn planting was nearly complete, with about 50% of fields emerged, and rice planting began with approximately 20% planted. Grain and cotton planting continued, though windy conditions and frequent cold fronts caused some delays. Pastures remained green but showed little growth. Livestock conditions began to decline despite ongoing hay and supplement feeding. Ponds and tanks lost volume due to the lack of runoff from rain.

East

Temperatures were warmer. Soil moisture levels were adequate, though some areas remained extremely wet. Green-up was underway, and cool-season forages were in good condition, with some warm-season grasses breaking dormancy. Most livestock producers had plenty of hay bales as available grazing increased. Producers were collecting soil tests to determine correct fertilization rates. Livestock demand at sale barns remained strong, and spring calves were growing well. Lakes, ponds and rivers were full. Gardeners and producers began preparing for vegetable planting. Strong winds increased concerns about fires.

Southeast

Counties reported drier and warmer conditions, which helped kickstart rice planting and pasture growth. High winds were reported. While these winds dried out wet conditions in some areas, they also caused damage to farm infrastructure. Additionally, the winds increased fire danger. Some counties received more rainfall, which improved pond water levels and brought warm season grasses out of dormancy and should benefit livestock forage. However, weeds became a concern, particularly in forage pastures. Hail was also reported. Pasture and rangeland ratings were very poor to excellent. Soil moisture levels throughout the district ranged from very short to adequate. Livestock conditions were poor to excellent. Wheat and oat fields were in fair to excellent condition.

South Plains

Very dry conditions continued across the district. Subsoil and topsoil moisture levels were very short due to a lack of rainfall and daily winds. Producers were trying to hold the dirt down and water when possible. Strong winds of 50-80 mph throughout one day created a tremendous dust storm. Barns, equipment and irrigation pivots across the South Plains were damaged. Cattle were in good condition. Due to the dry conditions, winter wheat was in poor condition, and producers were providing supplemental feed to compensate for the lack of forage availability.

Panhandle

The district experienced a wind event with gusts approaching 80 mph late in the week. Such conditions pulled additional moisture from the soil profile and led to greater erosion. With extreme winds and very low humidity, the area experienced several wildfires. Temperatures were favorable for steady growth of small grains and other cool-season crops. A considerable number of operators shipped livestock, especially stocker calves from winter pasture to market. Overall, soil moisture ranged from very short to adequate. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to fair. Overall, crop conditions were poor to good.

North

Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels ranged from short or surplus across the district. Pasture and rangeland conditions were good to fair. Temperatures dropped into the mid-40s overnight. A few counties received rainfall and extremely heavy winds toward the end of the week. Winter wheat neared the reproductive elongation stage in most varieties, with a few initiating jointing. Winter wheat showed much improvement over the past week, aided by rain, sunshine and some fertilizer applications. Hay feeding continued. Corn field preparation was mostly complete. The weather spurred some volunteer forage, causing cattle to back away from hay consumption. Livestock were in good condition. Ryegrass looked good in pastures. Feral hogs were very active. Stone fruits were in full flower, bearing pear trees were flowering, and apple trees were expected to flower in the upcoming weeks. Blackberries, figs and pecans remained dormant.

Far West

Multiple days of extremely high winds in the 45-65 mph range stopped all field activities and further dried out the soil. Both day and night temperatures were above normal for this time of year, with highs reaching the mid-90s several times and nighttime lows in the mid-40s. Rain was needed to improve soil moisture and rangeland conditions. The weather created extreme fire hazards. Corn planting was on hold until producers could get the soil wet enough for good seed emergence, and temperatures near freezing were expected in the middle of the week. Many producers continued prewatering with plans to irrigate cotton this summer. Wheat was mostly dead, except for a few irrigated fields that might be harvested or terminated to plant watermelons. Pastures were brown. Livestock were in poor condition and required supplemental feeding. Sales of livestock continued due to poor conditions. Marking and processing of lambs began and will continue for the next 45 days.

West Central

All areas needed rain, with very high winds reported late in the week. Some areas received trace amounts up to 1 inch of rainfall. High winds were expected, and no rain appeared in the 10-day forecast. Warm and dry conditions continued throughout the week, with extreme fire danger. Recent winds, lack of rainfall and above-normal temperatures set back rangeland and pastures. Sustained high winds with damaging gusts affected the area, with conditions remaining dry  with low humidity. Wheat was in extreme need of rain. Wind gusts over 65 mph for over eight hours late in the week caused some damage to farm structures. Soil temperatures rose. Some late cool-season forbs and grass emerged. Producers began planting sorghum fields, though many were waiting for rain as the soil profile had little moisture. In areas that received measurable rainfall, wheat improved somewhat, though some fields sustained damage from blowing sand and erosion during the late-week windstorm. Field preparation continued for spring planting, but rain was needed before any dryland planting will start. Irrigated corn and sorghum planting had started. Some field preparation for spring forage planting occurred, but grazing was short in almost all fields. Pastures were dry and offered little to no grazing, with limited water in running streams. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued as stock tank levels declined. Livestock were in fair condition heading into spring. Some stockers were pulled off wheat and sold, with stock pond water levels ranging from fair to low. Cattle markets remained strong, with good demand. Prices for stocker steers were steady to $5 higher per hundredweight, and stocker heifer prices were steady to $3 higher. Pairs and bred cows sold steady.

Southwest

Drought-like conditions persisted, with higher temperatures and low moisture. Strong winds throughout the week further dried already parched soils. Wildfire conditions developed in the latter part of the week due to intense winds, though no rangeland damage was reported. Corn and sorghum planting continued. Supplemental feeding of livestock remained necessary, and herds were still in fair condition. Spring lambing and kidding were nearly complete. Livestock were not grazing much due to the lack of forages, though some pastures began to show new growth.

South

Wind speeds increased over three days. Conditions were moderate, with cool mornings and warm afternoons. Temperatures rose above 90 degrees each afternoon, depleting topsoil and subsoil moisture. Rain was badly needed. Windy, dry and hot conditions with low humidity created fire risks, and small fires were reported in Frio County. Dry, windy conditions hindered planting, fieldwork and pesticide spraying. Row crop farmers planted to meet deadlines. Germinated corn and grain sorghum showed moisture stress. Citrus trees finished blooming and set fruit. The onion crop neared harvest, and cantaloupe planting was in full swing. Dryland wheat was in poor condition. Vegetable farmers harvested leafy greens, cabbage, onions and carrots with good yields reported. Watermelons were transplanted and off to a good start, but moisture was needed for the young crops. Rangeland and pasture forages were poor as the early green-up last month declined. Brush bloomed, and mesquite leafed out. Pastures were dry with little grass for grazing, leading to continued hay supplementation. Prickly pear turned yellow and struggled, making it unusable for cattle. Supplemental feeding of beef cattle and wildlife continued, with producers culling herds in preparation for extended drought. Auction barns reported plenty of lightweight calves selling early, though cattle prices remained high. Beef cattle producers weaned calves at lower weights, and some moved cattle to other pastures due to water shortages.