The Houston Press Food Blog

High Price of Crawfish

Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 11:57:59 AM

mudbugs.JPG
A half bucket of crawfish -- around two dozen mudbugs with corn and potatoes -- is selling for $11.95 at Ragin Cajun on Richmond.

Crawfish prices are hitting new records this year with some restaurants charging as much as $5.50 a pound for boiled crawfish. Two pounds for $10, once an unthinkable amount to pay for mudbugs, is now average.

Crawfish farmers point to the $4 a gallon price of diesel fuel as the cause of the price hike. Diesel is used in the water pumps on crawfish farms as well as in the trucks that bring live crawfish to market.

Seafood dealers also point out that demand is always highest at the beginning of the season and during Lent, peaking on Good Friday. Because Easter came early this year, the wholesale price of crawfish is predicted to come down in April as supply swells and demand slackens. But a continued supply of crawfish also depends on heavy Spring rainfalls. – Robb Walsh

Category: Robblog

8 Comments:

MistaChang says:

$1.75 or $17.50 at Rajin Cajun?

robb Walsh says:

Thanks for the catch MistaChang!

We fixed the mistake.

It's $12 for a pound and three quarters at Ragin Cajun.

Plocek says:

Porch Swing Pub at Heights and Washington had mudbugs this weekend for $3.75 a pound. Corn and potatoes cost extra.

Swamp_Lobsta_Luva says:

So, anyone have recommendations on best place for crawfish in Houston this season?

Karin says:

Razzoo's Cajun Cafe in Stafford at the Fountains has not raised its crawfish prices in years. Theirs are some of the freshest and tastiest mudbugs around. Regular price is $4.99/lb, with Crawfish Wednesdays: Crawfish is $3.99/lb all day and $1.50 draft beers all day every Weds.
The boiled crawfish is served with potatoes and corn on the cob.

painter says:

...after they hear about this, sign at Razoo's, "Crawfish $5.99 a pound". For all the time it takes and what little actual meat that you get out of it, I would say they should be free samples, or the answer to Swamp Lobster Lover's question as to where to find them? Still in the mud ! I think all of the smart mud lobsters moved to Colorado. Come to think of it...if all of that time spent looking for them is figured in to their price, people will start figuring how many crawfish per gallon of gas they get and find out that even $1.00 xtra isn't worth it! Oh that was fun, just kidding y'all, guess I shouldn't pick on the poor little creatures. Did see some at a Chinese buffet one day at lunch, but were probably caught behind the restaurant in the bayou, ewww, perish the thought !

Brashanda says:

Hi painter sorry you feel that way about my crawfish,How ever I'am a native of NO,LA and it is a tradition to enjoy mudbuds at this time of season,not just crawfish is high everything else has gone up.To answer your question yes i would get them at what everprice they cost, with out looking for them and riding miles to Colorado.

Karin says:

Painter:
You must have Razzoo's confused with another Cajun restaurant, as Razzoo's has never had a sign saying "Crawfish $5.99 a pound" .... Price has always been $4.99/lb. And their mudbugs are of a very nice size.

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