Louisiana Crawfish Farmer’s Association President David Savoy says the industry is being devastated by coronavirus with many seeing sales at only 40 percent of what they were last year.
Savoy says Easter is the industry’s Super Bowl, and they’re projecting a massive drop-off relative to even a usual off-year.
“I’ve done as much as $100,000 in private sales, if I do $15,000-$20,000 it will surprise the hell out of me but I won’t, I’m not getting the phone calls,” says Savoy.
Savoy says the biggest problem they are facing is the cancellation of major 100-150 bag corporate events, and the reduction of family boils from 12 bag events to three to four bag boils.
“You have a small group of family that you self-quarantine in place with and that is who eats and gets together and it does not get outside of that,” says Savoy.
Many farmers use peeling factories as a buyer of last resort when private sales are down, but Savoy says the peelers are so inundated with crawfish that you can’t sell to them at a profit.
“Right now that is at 50-60 cents a pound. LSU lists our breakeven point at a dollar,” says Savoy.
Savoy says the industry needs federal and state assistance for all struggling farmers, and soon.
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