
Experts Predict Louisiana 2025 Crawfish Boom—Will They Be Right?
Let's be honest - Louisiana's Crawfish season sucked in 2024. It was shorter than normal. Prices were higher than normal. It just wasn't good. However, the experts are saying that thanks to decent amounts of rainfall, this year should be back to normal if not better.
Here's what we know so far.
What Will Louisiana's Crawfish Season Be Like in 2025?
Crawfish are big business in Louisiana. In a 'normal year', Louisiana crawfish farmers will supply more than 150 million pounds of crawfish which brings an estimated $300 million to the state economy. However, last year due to drought and above average heat, that number plummeted. The LSU AgCenter estimates that the crawfish industry was down roughly $140 million. That's a big hit. If you remember, crawfish season started late last year, ended early and they weren't nearly as plentiful as they normally are.
I tell you all that to tell you this: the good news is that doesn't appear to be a problem this season. In fact, crawfish are already starting to show up and they are already more plentiful than they were last year. One crawfish restaurant owner told the University of Houston Public Media "this year, everybody seems to be able to already get their hands on crawfish. So, I expect it to be a great season. By the time we hit March, which is more like your peak season, we're going to see good-size crawfish, great-priced crawfish and just a really good peak season."
How Expensive Will Crawfish Be This Year in Louisiana?
When you could get crawfish last year, they weren't cheap. The season started at roughly $14 a pound and didn't drop much compared to a normal year. This year, it opened up around $9 a pound and it's looking like we can expect crawfish to be back in the $3-$6 range due to some favorable conditions that have farmers and experts hopeful.
According to Todd Fontenot from the LSU AgCenter, crawfish are expected to be plentiful - which typically means lower prices. "Producers were pretty much able to stock their ponds like they wanted to for the year — there were a few that ran short, because the season was so short last year. But for the most part, they're looking good. I think there'll be plenty of crawfish out there for everybody."
Sounds like as long as temps stay low and we keep seeing rain, the 2025 crawfish season is going to be one of the best we've seen in a while.
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