How much is king crab per jin? Market price reference
King crab, also known as stone crab or rock crab, is a deep-sea crab species and is not the same species as ordinary crabs. King crab meat is very delicious and highly nutritious, and it is widely caught for use as food. King crab is not produced in China or the waters around Asia, so the king crab on the market is mostly imported quick-frozen product. Let us take a look here at the price of king crab on the market.
Today, the king crab on the Chinese market is all imported from abroad. The main regions in the world that produce king crab are the Bering Strait, the Alaskan waters, the Norwegian Barents Sea, and the waters off Chile. Live king crab and raw frozen king crab are basically both from the Russian Bering Sea and the US state of Alaska, while cooked frozen king crab is basically all from Chile (due to the long transport distance). Norwegian king crab is currently not exported to China.
The price of king crab is mainly related to its transport method and size. If it is wild live king crab, the price is the highest. Generally, this kind of king crab is caught from the deep sea and then directly air-freighted to the domestic market for sale, costing about 300-400 yuan per jin, and the larger the specific size, the higher the unit price. King crab prices vary in different local markets, and a retail price as high as six or seven hundred yuan is also possible. Depending on the size of the king crab, 2,000 yuan for one is also considered normal.
The second transport method for king crab is cooked frozen king crab. This kind of king crab is cooked after being freshly caught, then frozen, and then transported to the market for sale. King crab transported this way generally preserves its taste, flavor, and nutritional value relatively well, and it can be eaten directly after thawing. Although it is not as good as wild live king crab, the price generally fluctuates around 200 yuan, and the specific price still has to be decided according to the local market conditions.
The last kind of king crab is the kind commonly seen on the market at several dozen yuan per jin. This kind of king crab is directly frozen and then transported to the market. Its quality is very hard to control, and there is no way to know its freezing time or whether it was frozen alive or dead. Moreover, the longer the freezing time, the lower the nutritional value and the worse the taste and flavor. But if you just want to have a taste of king crab flavor, this kind of king crab can also be considered.
King crab is generally a bit cheaper at seafood markets. If you are deep inland, the price may double. If you eat king crab in a large hotel, the price may be even more astronomical. Nowadays, some king crab is also artificially farmed. The taste is not as good as natural king crab, but it is also worth a try.