The country fetched about US$ 0.2 million in the just-concluded fiscal year 2014-15 by exporting crocodile skins to the world market.A private crocodile farm-Reptile Farm Ltd (RFL) at Bhaluka, Mymensingh - exported skins of about 400 crocodiles to a Japanese firm in December last. Its officials expect more overseas sales in the current fiscal. This is the country's maiden crocodile skin export.
Earlier, in 2010, the same farm exported some 67 frozen saltwater crocodiles of different age groups to Germany's Heidelberg University for research purposes fetching around US$ 0.1 million. It was also the country's first export of crocodiles to the international market.
Besides RFL, the country has two other crocodile farms-one 'Akij Wild Life Farm Limited' at Ghumdhum in Bandarban and the other at Karamjal in Mongla at the entrance of the Sundarbans mostly used for tourism purposes.
With the export, an unconventional product has been added to the country's export basket which is heavily dependent on readymade garments (RMG) and a few other items.
The RFL is now preparing to export skins of another 1,000 crocodiles, hatched in the farm and raised commercially to produce high-quality skins.
The saltwater crocodiles, mostly aged between 2.5 years and 3.5 years, are now kept at individual pens and nursed with high care. They are being given healthy food, kept in pens under stress and noise-free shades.
After exporting 400 crocodiles to Japan, there are now more than 1,500 crocs, including over 100 adult breeders in the RFL, said farm manager Dr Abu Syem Muhammad Arif while talking to this correspondent.
He expects around 800 new croc babies this year from the existing breeds and more in the coming years. In the last one month, 16 crocodiles laid about 800 eggs. Several others are waiting for laying eggs this season.
"We hope to export skins of 100 crocodiles almost every year," said Rajib Shome, the executive director of the farm, adding that there is a huge demand for crocodile skins, meat and bones in Europe, North America and other developed countries such as Australia, Japan, Singapore and China.
Mr Rajib, however, said they could not sell the meat as the quantity is too meagre and difficult to process. He identified proper slaughter house and skinning as big problems as the country does not have any scientific slaughter house and crocodile tannery.
The Japanese firm, trading in crocodile skins and importing the entire consignment, helped the RFL slaughter the reptiles and process the skins which it procured from the RFL. Experts from a Japanese firm Horiuchi Trading Company visited the farmhouse several times and gave necessary instructions to get quality products.
"Even they practically showed us how to slaughter the reptile and process the raw skins at least to make those exportable," said Dr Arif.
The authorities identified lack of veterinary services for aquatic animal health as one of major problems for development of the crocodile farm.
The RFL is now getting services from an Australian crocodile expert Geoff McClure, who also designed the infrastructure of the company. He also helped the company establish and follow Australian reptile farming protocols.
The farm authorities also have underscored the need for easing the process of exporting crocodile skins as export of wildlife skin is prohibited. They, however, made the export with special permission from the Ministry of Commerce.
The private reptile reproduction farm was launched in 2004 with the aim of farming saltwater crocodiles commercially for export. The farm imported 75 breeders from Malaysia in December, 2004 at a total cost of around Tk 12.5 million. Of them, one died during the plane journey, and six others also perished later.
Initially, the farm, established on 13 acres of land, housed 68 crocodiles in 12 artificial ponds and two lagoons. Now the area has been expanded to 21 acres with major development of its infrastructure.
"Now we have the infrastructure and we would be able to export around 1,000 crocs annually from next year," said the executive director. He said there is a huge demand for croc skins, meat and bones in Europe,
Bangladesh has an ideal geographical climate suitable for farming crocodiles.
"In many countries, an artificially-created environment is created for crocodile farming. But in Bangladesh we don't need this," said the executive director terming the country a suitable place for crocodile farming.
mzrbd@yahoo.com
