While most of the crawfish acreage in Texas is in the southeastern part of the state (Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, and Liberty counties) there are some farms scattered in Brazoria, Matagorda, Wharton, and maybe still some in Calhoun county. That is about as far south as they go, although there may be some small acreage or trial ponds in other areas. The biggest obstacle facing crawfish farming in Texas is the available/cost of water as mentioned. The water budget for crawfish is about 3 to 3.5 times that of rice. Also, the lack of infrastructure in Texas (bait supplies, boat and trap builders, processors and wholesale buying stations) is not nearly as developed as in South Louisiana. Part of this is the chicken or egg situation . . . without large concentrated acreage of production, the incentive to develop specific infrastructure is not there, but because it is not there, the incentive to expand acreage is not as good either. Much of the infrastructure in Louisiana was already there during the early stages of crawfish development . . . from the existing seafood industry.
Once one gets out of the rice growing region in Texas, then it becomes harder to grow crawfish. The clay soils (necessary for burrowing and water holding), flat level ground (for growing vegetation and shallow water harvesting) that are needed is often not there, and of course abundant and cheap water is a must. The peak of crawfish production acreage in Texas occurred in the early 1980s, but during the oil bust of the mid 1980s the acreage declined and much of it never came back. Only hardworking persistent farm families like Herff Cornelius near Bay City and John Gaulding in Winnie, and others (often rice farmers), have keep it going.
Once one gets out of the rice growing region in Texas, then it becomes harder to grow crawfish. The clay soils (necessary for burrowing and water holding), flat level ground (for growing vegetation and shallow water harvesting) that are needed is often not there, and of course abundant and cheap water is a must. The peak of crawfish production acreage in Texas occurred in the early 1980s, but during the oil bust of the mid 1980s the acreage declined and much of it never came back. Only hardworking persistent farm families like Herff Cornelius near Bay City and John Gaulding in Winnie, and others (often rice farmers), have keep it going.
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