There is one word crab vendors do not want their merchandise to be associated with: payat (skinny). The label sticks like glue. Meat shops are given some leeway whenever they sell a fatty slab of pork, but customers remember when they end up with skinny crabs. Unlike pork or beef, choosing a meaty crab can be tricky. Some check the claws, apply pressure on the shell or have the crabs weighed. Skinny crabs have always been a problem for breeders because it is sold to middlemen at a significantly lower price. Vendors, for their part, have to be creative to avoid being left with inferior stock. The reason for the volume difference can be traced to poor pond management, insufficient food supply, high density of crabs in the pond or intense competition for food.

Ramos, D. (2016, March 2). Crab fattening pushed to ensure better yield. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. B2-2.