(Handout via Xinhua Daily)

With the sound of a loud gong, this year's harvest season of freshwater crabs kicked off at Gucheng Lake in Nanjing on September 19.

A total 20 boats joined the first catch, with farmers chanting in unison. There were also lion and dragon dances onshore to celebrate the much-anticipated autumn harvest.

This year's crab yield is projected to exceed 20 million kilograms. Crab farming has become the most important wealth-generating industry and a hallmark of Nanjing’s Gaochun District. According to a report from Nanjing Agricultural University issued in 2023, the Gucheng Lake crab brand ranks second in overall market influence among 48 crab-producing regions nationwide.

At the harvest ceremony, SF Express, EMS, and JD Logistics were announced as the official logistics partners for the trading of Gucheng Lake crabs.