Arya News - Oysters and crabs are now being farmed in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, thousands of kilometres from the sea – in a project aiming to put the region`s unused brackish water and saline-alkali land to productive use.
URUMQI – Oysters and crabs are now being farmed in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, thousands of kilometers from the sea, creating new jobs and income for locals.
An oyster trial launched in late May in Xinkailing township, Aral city, covers about 3.3 hectares, with total output expected to reach about three metric tons. All the oysters are sold fresh in local markets at affordable prices and have been well received by customers.
“The oysters in Xinjiang grow faster than those in our coastal hometown over the same period, and they taste even better,” said Chen Wuqun, general manager of the aquaculture company behind the project.
The project grew out of investment promotion under Zhejiang province’s paired assistance to Xinjiang, which aims to put the region’s unused brackish water and saline-alkali land to productive use.
Chen has more than 20 years of experience in aquaculture. In June 2024, he set up a 6.7-hectare pilot pond, which showed that seafood species could survive local conditions. By the end of that year, the operation had expanded to 26.7 hectares. It now covers 93.3 hectares and farms multiple varieties of seafood.
According to Chen, all the ponds rely exclusively on local groundwater. The water is first left to settle so that rust can be removed, then exposed to sunlight for more than seven days before being channeled into the ponds.
Workers at the aquaculture farm in Ganquan township of Aral city, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, hold a fishing opening festival on Oct 10.
“Water quality is monitored every three days after seedlings are stocked, with calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other basic minerals replenished as needed. Lactic acid bacteria, photosynthetic bacteria, and suitable beneficial algae are also regularly introduced to support the growth of the aquatic organisms,” Chen said.
Crab seedlings, fish fry, and oyster seedlings are all sourced from Zhejiang, air-freighted in, and stocked in batches. Oysters feed mainly on cultivated algae. The crabs and fish are fed mainly chilled fresh small fish and shrimp, trucked overland from Zhejiang in refrigerated vehicles.
Local demand has underpinned the project’s growth. “We don’t worry about sales. Local fresh seafood markets remain largely untapped, leaving ample room for domestically farmed products with little risk of oversupply. Local consumers now buy live seafood right here,” Chen said.
He plans to expand the oyster farming area to 10 hectares next year.
In Ganquan township, white jade crabs have entered their harvest season under the guidance of Shu Qifu, a technician from a crab-breeding company in Huzhou, Zhejiang.
Shu said he developed the variety jointly with Shanghai Ocean University. After trials in 2024 and 2025, he has been working full-time in Xinjiang this year on large-scale breeding. About 150,000 crab seedlings were stocked this year across 10 hectares. The crabs are sold mainly across China, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, and in Central Asian countries.
“Local conditions suit the species well,” Shu said. He explained that snowmelt from the Tianshan Mountains is free of industrial pollution and rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc—minerals suited to crustacean growth. He added that abundant sunshine and the absence of a plum rain season help keep pond water at around 28 C, which he said is optimal for the crabs.
Workers at the aquaculture farm in Ganquan township of Aral city, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, hold a fishing opening festival on Oct 10.
The snowmelt is first diverted to a reservoir and left to settle for two to three days before being pumped into the ponds. Because the native water is highly alkaline, with a pH of 10 to 11, Shu adds lactic acid bacteria and organic carbon sources. These bring it into the 7.5–8.5 range crabs prefer and cultivate beneficial microbes.
Water grass collected from local rivers gives the crabs shelter, provides a natural source of vitamins, and helps keep the water clean. Shu also carries out regular pond-bottom improvement and adds trace elements and beneficial bacteria. He uses bacteria cultured on site and fermented manure with small amounts of fertilizer.
The crabs are fed high-protein compound feed transported from Huzhou, supplemented with corn, wheat, and pond grass.
“High protein in the feed improves the crabs’ condition, which lowers disease rates and raises survival rates,” Shu said.
The farms are also creating jobs.
Chen said local farmers have joined the initiative and added nearly 70 hectares of their own aquafarms. Chen’s company has also employed over 500 local workers at its breeding bases, paying around 5,000 yuan ($748) a month plus free meals and accommodation.
One of them is Subinur Aimaier, a 25-year-old Uygur graduate of Xinjiang Vocational University, where she studied primary education. After graduating in 2025, she returned to her hometown and spent over six months leading a team of tutors at a local cram school. Looking for a change, she came across a recruitment notice from Chen’s company.
Although she had no prior knowledge of aquaculture, Subinur is now attending a company training program in Urumqi, running from Oct 20 to 30. It covers script writing, on-camera presentation, and techniques for promoting local specialties, and prepares her to promote the company’s aquatic products via livestream.
She said the job has introduced her to breeding technologies that were previously unavailable in Xinjiang. She is satisfied with the salary of 4000 to 5000 yuan a month, and the workplace is close to her home.
“I’ve gained independence and confidence,” Subinur said. She added that, given the opportunity, she would like to start a business with Chen.