A Singapore firm has an ambitious plan to build the world’s first specific pathogen free (SPF) hatchery producing 300,000 crayfish fries per day to satisfy growing regional demand for the popular crustacean.
Desmond Chow, CEO of Singapore Crawfish Pte Ltd, has filed for patents in 2022 for an innovative automated system developed by his company that efficiently separates adult crayfish from their craylings, enabling seamless and large-scale harvesting. Remarkably, the system boasts a 90 percent survival rate for the craylings.
With strong backing from the Singaporean government, Chow continues to advance his research and development efforts while seeking investors to expand operations and establish a larger hatchery.
Traditionally, crayfish farmers manually separate craylings from adult crayfish — a process that is both time-consuming and labor-intensive. A single female crayfish can spawn up to three times a year, producing as many as 1,000 eggs each time. “Removing eggs from thousands of crayfish can be an overwhelming task,” Chow explained.
In 2017, Desmond Chow took on the role of socio-economic adviser to an Indonesian governor, where he was tasked with studying the region’s GDP — with a particular focus on the agriculture sector. Together with his students, Chow analysed data and tracked how surging oil prices were affecting the cost of rice production.
“We looked at ways to help rice farmers whose incomes were suffering because of the low price of rice,” Chow recalled. Among the various ideas his team explored, one stood out — what he calls “A Crayfish Solution”: the integration of crayfish farming within rice paddies.
Crayfish, Chow explained, are perfectly suited for rice fields. They feed on insect larvae that would otherwise damage crops, while their waste helps fertilise the plants. Their natural burrowing behaviour also aerates and loosens the soil, improving its fertility and making it easier to cultivate.
Chow’s research produced remarkable results — the incomes of participating rice farmers increased fivefold. The maintenance required was minimal, aside from occasional feeding.
“The farmers only need to feed the crayfish. There’s no extra work involved,” Chow explained. “They’re thrilled knowing that their income can increase up to five times.”
To support the initiative, Chow’s company provides a specially formulated feed that he claims can accelerate growth by up to 50 percent compared to conventional alternatives.
“In our study of crayfish nutrition, we used 100 tanks and experimented with various feeds — vegetables, fruits, and meats — while monitoring growth patterns,” he said. “This helped us identify the optimal blend of ingredients that induce the highest growth rates.”
Currently, Singapore Crawfish Pte Ltd is in the process of patenting its proprietary feed formula, which Chow says enables crayfish to grow up to twice as large as those farmed with standard feeds within the same period.
The company’s hatchery operations distribute crayfish fry to farmers across Indonesia and Malaysia. Under partnership agreements, Singapore Crawfish guarantees to purchase the mature crayfish after a typical four-month growth cycle, giving farmers peace of mind with assured buyers.
The firm’s main hatcheries are based in Malaysia and Singapore, with shipments delivered by air to various countries throughout the ASEAN region.
Crayfish eggs typically hatch within six to seven weeks, and after four months of growth, Chow’s crayfish reach an average weight of 60 grams. At six months, they can grow to as much as 140 grams.
Chow noted that market preferences for crayfish vary across regions. “Chinese buyers typically prefer smaller crayfish weighing between 30 and 50 grams, while Western and European consumers tend to favour larger sizes, ranging from 80 to 150 grams,” he explained.
According to Chow, demand from China continue 小龙虾小龙虾小龙虾s to surge. Despite producing a staggering 1.8 billion kilograms of crayfish in 2019 — about 70 percent of the world’s total — China’s appetite for imports remains, as he puts it, “crazy.” This is largely driven by the seasonal limitations faced by northern provinces such as Liaoning and Shandong, where cold winters hinder year-round production.
To meet this growing global demand, Chow plans to collaborate with major food processors to package crayfish tails into ready-to-eat, frozen products, making international distribution more efficient.
Looking ahead, Chow envisions franchising his high-tech hatchery system worldwide. “This technology can help provide food for people across the globe,” he said. “Crayfish are so easy to rear that even a five-year-old could learn how to do it. It’s an accessible and sustainable source of nutrition that can be cultivated almost anywhere. I want to share this knowledge so that families everywhere can feed themselves, especially in challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Chow is passionate about the broader potential of the species. “I firmly believe that crayfish are the ultimate solution to tackling global environmental challenges and food insecurity,” he said, noting that the crustaceans reproduce rapidly and abundantly — a key advantage in sustainable aquaculture.
While the European Union and the United States have long histories of embracing crayfish as a culinary staple — with crayfish meat now widely used in the convenience food sector — other Asian nations such as Cambodia and the Philippines are rapidly ramping up their own production to meet growing regional demand.