Crocodiles farming bringing foreign currency in Mymensingh

The export earnings of Reptiles Farm limited, a commercial crocodile farm of Bhaluka upazila in Mymensingh, have exceeded 10 million of dollars.In 2004, Reptiles Farm Limited started its first commercial crocodile farming project in the village. So far, the company's export earnings have exceeded tens of millions of dollars. If the situation in Corona does not deteriorate, export earnings will increase further, the company officials said.

The farm was set up in Shalban, 20 kilometers away from Bhaluka Upazila Sadar. At present there are 2,500 crocodiles in the farm while the firm had started with 64 adult crocodiles only. Bangladesh entered the list of crocodile exporting countries in 2010 by exporting 67 frozen crocodiles from Reptiles Farm Limited. From 2014 to 2019, Bangladesh exported about one and a half thousand crocodile skins. As a result, export earnings have risen to over 10 million dollars. From the year 2022, it will be possible to export 1,000 crocodile skins every year, said the concerned. There are also plans to export crocodile meat, skin, teeth and bones from the farm in the future.

According to the farm authorities, Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Franch are big market for crocodile leather exports.Farm manager Abu Saim Mohammad Arif told to The Asian Age that if corona outbreak does not increase in the future, export earnings will increase several times. Due to crocodile farming, the village 'Hatiber' has become known as 'Crocodile Village', he added. Bhaluka Upazila Livestock Officer Md Matiur Rahman said to The Asian Age that they provide all kinds of assistance to the crocodile farm. He said, in addition to supporting the farm, the Livestock Office has been working to create new entrepreneurs.

---Humayun Ahmed in Bhaluka, M'singh