Brisk sale of crabs, bamboo shoots in Virajpet

There is a brisk sale of bamboo shoots and crabs beside the roads in Virajpet.

Normally, the monsoon brings bamboo shoots and crabs to every kitchen in the district.

People consider crab as good for generating heat in the body which helps in braving the chill during the monsoon. In addition, delicacies made of ‘Kakkada Soppu’ are also consumed in the month of Kakkada.

With the bountiful monsoon, people turn towards consuming the items that are available naturally in the surroundings.

Bamboo shoots are called ‘Kanile’ or ‘Baimbale’ in local languages. The price of bamboo shoots increases every year. A small packet of half a kg is sold between Rs 50 to Rs 60.

The crabs are caught from Harangi and KRS dams and are sold beside the road in Virajpet.

Though crabs from the sea are available throughout the year, the crabs caught from reservoirs, paddy fields and small rivulets are in high demand. These crabs are caught mostly during the monsoon.

“In the past, crabs were found on a large scale in fields. With the decline in paddy fields and use of chemical fertilisers, the crab population has declined over the years,” said crab lovers from Virajpet.

A bunch with 12 crabs were sold for Rs 300 in Virajpet. Some traders were also selling it for Rs 250.

“Last year, we had good demand for crabs. This year, only 40 kg to 50 kg are sold in a day. The demand increases on the day of shandy,” said crab sellers.