(Yicai Global) Oct. 11 -- Russian king crab has quickly become a favorite seafood fancy for Shanghai residents over the past year, with lower prices bolstering imports into the city to 850 metric tons this year to date, up 950 percent annually.

Cheaper shipping costs from Russia starting around 2017 are what led to the surge, the Shanghai Observer reported. The city is now receiving one ship, about 50 tons, full of the crustaceans every month

Local retail prices have slid to around CNY130 (USD18.29) per 500 grams this month, some CNY50 cheaper than in September and CNY110 cheaper than a year ago.

The entire country is expected to import 13,000 tons of king crab this year, up from around 10,000 tons in 2018. It imported just 1,500 tons in 2015.