Tourists in Bangladesh will now find an addition to their menu as the country's lone crocodile farm has taken the initiative to sell the croc eggs commercially.
"Against the backdrop of demand for crocodile eggs in some hotels in the country, we have taken initiative to sell the croc eggs commercially," Mustaq Ahmed, managing director of Reptile Farm Ltd (RFL), told the news agency yesterday.
"We have already sold about 150 eggs to some hotels and its main consumers are foreigners."
Apart from selling croc eggs, Mushtaq said his farm has also taken steps to sell baby crocodiles to amusement parks in the country.
"Baby crocs were sold to Saudia Park Ltd, an amusement park in Bogra."
Earlier, the RFL exported 67 frozen saltwater crocs to Germany's Heidelberg University for research purposes.
"The export of crocodiles from Bangladesh fetched 1 lakh euros, ushering in a hope of croc business in the country," he said.
Different countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain, have shown keen interest in importing croc skins from their farm, he said. He hoped the farm would be able to export 500 croc skins by next two or three years.
He along with Mesbahul Huq, a pharmacist, set up the croc farm on 15 acres in Hatiber village in Bhaluka upazila, Mymensingh.
After exporting crocodiles to Germany, there are now about 700 crocs in the farm, said Mushtaq.
The farm is now aiming to export over 5,000 pieces of crocodile skin annually and create a base for earning up to $5 million by 2015.
"There is a huge demand for croc skins, meat and bones in Europe, America and other developed countries, such as Australia, Japan, Singapore and China. The charcoal made from crocodile bones is indispensable to the global perfume industry."
Crocodiles are being commercially farmed in 40 countries including China, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Source: http://www.thedailystar.net
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