Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) – Crocodile exports from Vietnam are up three-fold in the first eight months of the year. Overall 9,900 live crocs and 11,000 hides were exported for a total value estimated at about US$ 3 million.
According to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the main markets for hides were Japan (59 per cent of total exports), Singapore (22 per cent), France (12 per cent) and Thailand (5 per cent).
Crocodile fillet and dried meat are also available for sale, especially in Korea, Canada and Germany, home to large Vietnamese communities, in addition to some domestic supermarket chains.
At present Ho Chi Minh City crocodile farms are breeding some 114,460 animals.
