By Greg Larose
Louisiana Illuminator
Normally, the weeks just before Easter mean peak business for crawfish harvesters, wholesalers and processors, with ample product and high demand. Instead, they’re waiting to see if the federal government will declare a disaster for their industry, which continues to weather the after-effects of last summer’s extended drought and a bad freeze earlier this year.
Losses for the Louisiana crawfish industry are estimated to reach nearly $140 million — more than half the typical annual yield, according to the LSU AgCenter.