Why Farmers Release Millions of These Into Their Fields

[0:00]These tiny creatures could be some of the most valuable animals on the planet. You've probably tasted them before. The moment they arrive at local markets, they're carefully weighed and packed into individual containers, as farmers hurry to purchase them by the millions. Because an entire harvest relies on them. Soon after, they're transported straight to flooded rice paddies. One by one, thousands are released into the shallow water, beginning one of the most intelligent farming partnerships ever designed. As they grow, they move constantly through the fields, feeding on destructive insects, nibbling away at weeds, and stirring the mud beneath them. Their steady digging loosens the soil and allows oxygen to reach the rice roots, strengthening the plants naturally without a single drop of chemical. Then, once the rice has thrived under their watch, they're gathered again, shipped across the world, and eventually end up on dinner tables. Recognized simply as the crabs you've eaten before.