The species of crawfish (or crayfish) commercially important in the southeast United States are the red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) and the white river crawfish (Procambarus zonangulus).
Culture methods used to grow crawfish are relatively simple as compared to those for other cultured aquatic animals. Formulated feeds are not used routinely. Instead, vegetation is established as the food base (e.g., rice, sorghum-sudangrass or natural aquatic plants).
Rather than stocking crawfish ponds with hatchery-reared young, farmers stock with brookstock or rely on reproduction by unharvested crawfish from the previous year. Crawfish culture can fit well with farm management plans because it uses marginal agricultural lands, existing labor, and farm equipment during off-peak farming periods.
The integration of rice farming and crawfish culture has worked extremely well in the southeast U.S. Disadvantages of crawfish culture are the high volume of water required, the lengthy and expensive harvesting period, and unstable markets.
The profitability of crawfish farming varies from year to year and with the type of crawfish production system. That is because yields, costs, break-even prices, and market prices are highly variable and often unpredictable.
A prospective producer should discuss the feasibility of a project or business plan with an Extension agent, who can provide the best available data at the time of the request. A look at production economics, pond construction, and water supply can help potential producers decide whether or not crawfish production would be a viable enterprise. The economic data presented here are based on Louisiana production figures.
Production economics:
Investment requirements
An economic analysis of crawfish production should be based on sound production cost estimates and realistic income projections. Crawfish are cultured in a variety of ways, but most commonly in cultivated forage ponds or in double-crop rotation systems with rice or soybeans.
Cultivated forage ponds are constructed and managed solely for crawfish production; planted forages supply the detrital food on which crawfish feed. In rice crawfish double cropping rice stubble supplies the detrital food chain and the harvest of rice provides a second income source each year.
Table 1 itemizes projected costs for cultivated forage ponds and rice crawfish double crops. These costs are based primarily on a 1990 survey of 39 commercial crawfish producers, with supplemental information from researchers and Extension personnel.
The survey collected information on production, harvesting, and marketing practices. Costs have been adjusted to reflect 1998 values. Cost estimates are presented on a per acre basis so they can be applied to different size operations. Fixed costs were based on a 120-acre production unit consisting of six 20-acre ponds.
The average annual interest rate on the investment in the pond, well, and specialized equipment was assumed to be 6.4 percent. Although projected costs for the rice-crawfish double crop are considerably more than for the cultivated forage pond, an additional income of $405 per acre can be realized from the rice crop.
Table 2 shows break-even selling prices required to recover costs for four alternative yield levels. To evaluate the feasibility of beginning a crawfish operation if you are not already farming, use the Prices required to cover total specified costs and general farm overhead.
Established farmers considering diversifying into crawfish should use the Prices required to cover total specified costs.Prices required to cover direct expenses should be used to construct a cash flow statement or to estimate out of pocket expenses.
Table 2 shows that farmers who are producing rice are in the best position to start crawfish production. Many of the costs associated with producing crawfish have already been covered by the rice operation.
Any aquaculture venture should be approached cautiously. A business plan should be developed that includes production, economic and marketing data. Remember that the cost estimates presented in this publication are based on data collected in Louisiana on relatively large farms (120 acres in 6- to 20-acre ponds).
This data, while valuable for estimating average production costs, may show some economies of scale and should be used cautiously by small or very large crawfish production facilities.
Authors:
Jimmy L. Avery , Robert P. Romaire and W. Ray McClain
