Texas crawfish production is expected to remain steady this season despite an early slowdown caused by winter weather, according to experts with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
A late January freeze delayed harvesting for several weeks, creating temporary shortages in some retail markets.
However, overall production levels remain in line with a typical year, said Todd Sink, an AgriLife Extension aquaculture specialist and director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Aquatic Diagnostics Laboratory in Bryan-College Station.
“In terms of production, crawfish farms are having a normal year,” Sink said. “The only thing we’re seeing is the product didn’t make it to retail vendors as rapidly because of the late January freeze that slowed harvest for a few weeks.”
As harvesting increases, supply is expected to catch up with demand.
Prices for live crawfish are currently averaging around $5 per pound in the Bryan-College Station area and more than $4 per pound in the Houston region.
Availability has remained limited in some parts of the state, including Dallas and San Antonio, where few retailers have reported stock.
Sink said strong demand is likely to keep prices relatively high throughout the season, with only minor decreases expected.
“We wouldn’t expect more than a 50-cent drop per pound from what we’re currently seeing,” he said. “In previous years, you could get crawfish down in the $3.50 to $3.75 per pound range, but I don’t think we’re going to see that this year.”
The crawfish season typically begins with higher prices, peaks during Lent — the 40-day observance leading up to Easter — and gradually declines into early summer.
Texas remains the nation’s second-largest crawfish producer behind Louisiana. While exact figures are difficult to determine due to voluntary reporting, Sink estimates there are between 15,000 and 20,000 acres of crawfish production statewide. Much of that acreage is concentrated along the upper Texas coast, particularly in Jefferson and Chambers counties, which account for about 8,000 registered acres.
Nikki Fitzgerald, an AgriLife Extension coastal and marine resources agent, said crawfish farming has expanded in recent years into additional coastal areas and parts of East Texas.
Production levels can vary, but harvests typically range between 500 and 650 pounds per acre. In particularly strong years, some producers have reported yields as high as 850 pounds per acre, Sink said.
Unlike Louisiana, where crawfish are often raised in rotation with rice fields, many Texas producers have shifted to year-round pond production. That transition has helped limit exposure to certain agricultural pests.
One such pest, the rice delphacid, has caused significant damage to rice crops in parts of the state and can impact crawfish production when rice is used as a feed source in rotational systems.
“Rice delphacid affects the second growth of rice crops, or the ratoon crop, which is what crawfish feed on when using that rotational method,” Fitzgerald said.
Another concern for producers is the invasive apple snail, which has led to economic losses in Louisiana. However, differences in production methods and farm structures have helped Texas operations avoid widespread impacts so far.
“While our producers thankfully haven’t been hit hard by these invasive pests yet, they’re very much on their minds,” Sink said.
Across the state, agricultural conditions remain mixed, according to AgriLife Extension district reports.
Dry and windy weather has continued to deplete soil moisture in many regions, particularly in the Panhandle, South Plains and Far West Texas.
In those areas, winter wheat conditions have declined, and producers are relying heavily on irrigation and supplemental feeding for livestock.
Other regions, including parts of North and Central Texas, have received recent rainfall that improved soil moisture and supported early planting efforts for crops such as corn and sorghum. Still, drought conditions persist in several areas.
In South Texas, extreme drought remains a significant concern, with some locations reporting no measurable rainfall since August. Producers there continue to face challenges with poor pasture conditions, limited crop emergence and increased reliance on irrigation.
Despite regional variability, livestock conditions are generally reported as fair to good statewide, though supplemental feeding remains common.
Overall, experts say Texas crawfish production remains stable, and supply is expected to improve as the harvest progresses, even as strong demand keeps prices elevated.
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