As the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays approach, the golden autumn air is filled with the aroma of crab. The 1,600-acre ecological crab farm at Heijiatang Aquaculture Base in Qijiahu Village, Dafeng Town, Hutubi County, has welcomed a bountiful harvest, with premium aquatic products riding the seasonal consumption wave.
On September 17, the expansive crab ponds at the Heijiatang ecological farm in Qijiahu Village shimmered under the sunlight. Crab farmer Zhao Guangmei and her workers navigated the ponds in small boats, skillfully retrieving cage nets that emerged brimming with lively crabs. With their bluish-brown shells, golden-tipped claws, and white bellies, the vigorous crabs scrambled over one another, exuding a vibrant sense of abundance.
Zhao Guangmei, head of the Heijiatang Ecological Farm, shared her excitement: "My crab farming area remains at 1,600 acres this year, and production has been excellent, reaching approximately 16 to 17 tons. The crabs have grown exceptionally well this season, with full roe and rich, creamy interiors."
The team carefully sorts each crab by quality, size, and weight. Premium-grade selections then move swiftly through a complete process of cleaning, sorting, boxing, sealing, and labeling. Thanks to years of consistent, high-quality output, the farm has cultivated long-term partnerships with established buyers. One such partner, Guo Yan, a core offline client from Urumqi, has collaborated with the farm for over five years, placing large seasonal orders on schedule every year, a testament to the farm's growing market reputation.
Guo Yan commented, "I've been selling their crabs from the very beginning, and this is now my fifth year. I find the taste absolutely superb—far more aromatic than typical market crabs. The quality is outstanding. I'm confident that as long as she keeps farming, I'll keep selling her crabs."
To further elevate crab quality, overcome production and sales barriers, and broaden market reach, Zhao Guangmei has pioneered an integrated model combining ecological fattening with a full cold-chain process. During the farming stage, scientific ecological methods enhance the texture of the meat and the quality of the roe. On the sales side, cold-chain logistics preserve freshness during delivery, maximizing the live, succulent taste. Additionally, the farm has refined its sales network, establishing a dual-channel approach of targeted offline supply and comprehensive online distribution. This system now covers all prefectures across Xinjiang, while steadily expanding into markets outside the region, with the geographic reach of orders growing year by year.
This year, the crabs officially hit the market on August 26, four to five days earlier than in previous years. This early launch coincided perfectly with the holiday shopping season, and the combination of early availability and superior quality has kept market demand soaring. Zhao Guangmei added, "Currently, our primary sales are in Urumqi and Shihezi, with a significant volume of express deliveries sent across Xinjiang, plus some out-of-province orders. This year's orders are just as robust as before."
In recent years, Qijiahu Village in Dafeng Town has capitalized on its local ecological strengths to develop a distinctive crab farming industry. Through a model of quality fattening and cold-chain preservation, the village has successfully built a recognized local ecological crab brand. This industrial growth has effectively revitalized idle resources, generated local employment, boosted farmer incomes, and contributed to broader rural revitalization efforts.