Frozen crabs go to the U.S., live crabs arrive in China: The global king crab landscape is quietly changing hands

The change in this pattern did not happen overnight, but is the result of the gradual rebalancing of the industrial chain in terms of consumption focus, the flow of goods, and the price system. China: The home-field advantage of the live crab market In major coastal ports across China, from Qingdao to Ningbo, and from Dalian to Shanghai, cold chain fleets are transporting live king crabs to dining terminals across the country. In 2024 alone, China imported 133,000 tons of crab and crab meat products, a year-on-year increase of 12%, totaling 2.1 billion U.S. dollars. Russia holds nearly 60% of the market share, followed by Vietnam and Canada. Live crabs are becoming a common consumer item in Chinese urban middle-class households. In the past, king crabs were considered a luxury dish limited to festivals, but now they have entered the daily market. Supermarket cold storage, e-commerce fresh produce channels, and even community fresh produce stores, all feature "limited-time ...