» 02/01/2010 12:16 BANGLADESH Dhaka gives green light to crocodile exports by William Gomes The government authorises the country’s only crocodile farm to ship 67 specimens to a German university for research. Reptile Farm Ltd managing director says the product represents an important source of foreign exchange. The goal is to reach US$ 5,000,000 in earnings by 2015.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – For the first time in its history, Bangladesh is going to export crocodiles for commercial purposes. On 21 January, the Department of Forests authorised the country’s only crocodile farm, Reptile Farm Ltd, to sell reptiles to Germany. Exotic animals represent a large market in Europe, the United States and a number of Asian countries. The goal is to generate up to US $ 5 million in revenues by 2015.
Mushtaq Ahmed, managing director and CEO of Reptile Farm Ltd., said that on 31 August of last year, his company applied for a permit to export 67 frozen crocodiles to Germany and 10 live ones to Malaysia. After months of waiting, the Forest Department gave the green light.
He said an agreement was reached with Heidelberg University of Germany to ship 67 crocodiles, ranging from nine inches to five feet in length, which the university will use these in research. “We will export the crocodiles next month,” he said.
Reptile Farm Ltd. is situated in Hatiber village (Mymensingh district), and owns 825 saltwater crocodiles, including 67 specimens that are big size.
Ahmed noted that the regular export of crocodiles from Bangladesh would be an important source of foreign exchange earnings. The aim is to export over 5,000 pieces of crocodile skin annually and create a base for “earning up to US$ 5 million by 2015.”
There is a huge demand of crocodiles in European nations like France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Crocodile skins, meat and bones as well as charcoal made from croc bones used in the perfume industry are in great demand.
To meet this demand, more crocodile farms could be set up in Bangladesh, Ahmed said.
