Autumn is the harvest season for crabs. A skilled crab trusser in China who is able to tie six or more crabs in one minute can earn as much as 10,000 RMB ($1,476) per month during the busiest times, according to a crab industry expert.

Though payment for tying one crab is usually just 0.2 RMB, the trussers can earn considerable money by taking on a heavy workload on weekends and at night - the peak time for shipments.

Hundreds of boxes of crabs can typically be tied within two hours by several skilled crab trussers. This year, some crab merchants tried to replace crab-tying with plastic boxes. However, the solution was not broadly promoted due to its high cost and lower efficiency.

In addition, the old approach of crab trussing is more trusted by customers. The industry expert, surnamed Cai, explained that experienced trussers are not only efficient, they can also estimate the weight of a crab just by looking at it.

Though the crab trussers work as many as 10 hours per day during the busy season, high salaries make the job tempting. In other periods of the year, the trussers usually make rice dumplings or simply rest at home.