This season’s crawfish prices are the highest they’ve ever been, says seafood restaurant owner
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Mudbug lovers may find they will have to pay more to get their fill of their seafood favorite.
“We come here today for my friend’s birthday. Her birthday’s Sunday, she loves crawfish. Here at Today’s Ketch,” Michelle Canepa said.
"I come here faithfully about three times a week, and maybe a little bit more because the crawfishes are seasoned," Gail Nunez said.
The booming business isn’t due to low prices. Today’s Ketch owner Jeff Pohlmann said he’s never seen prices as high as this season.
"Crawfish prices are coming down to where people can afford them, pretty much. We started off with the highest price in 34 years that we've been here, that we've ever seen, but they are coming down and thank goodness for that," Pohlmann said.
He said the prices were highest in February.
"Seven dollars a pound, that's quite steep, you know what I'm saying? But, as high as it was, people still was buying them, but they just wouldn't buy the amount that they normally would buy at a cheaper price," Pohlmann said.
Pohlmann said the low supply this year may be due to the weather, but the crawfish have been decent size.
“The crawfish is not bad, production is still not where it’s supposed to be. We still are behind, and you’re gonna realize, we’re in the third week of March already, so it’s a little scary, because really things right now, April, next month is the peak of it. It should be blowing and going,” Pohlmann said.
Crawfish at his restaurant is fifty cents higher than this time last year.
“They are now $4.79 a pound for boiled crawfish, you know what I’m saying? Compared to $7, that’s a pretty significant difference, you know?” Pohlmann said.
No matter the price, people said they're still going to dig into some crawfish.
"Every year we come in. this is the Friday that we do during Lent, this is something that it doesn't matter. We get a few pounds and we split them, and it's fine for us," Canepa said.
“Now, it’s ok price, and I know it’s gonna go down, but i’m not waiting for it to go down. I love it so much,” Nunez said.
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