M.A. Qader-Our Correspondent in Bangladesh
Dhaka, 30 May (Asiantribune.com): Bangladesh for the first time will export the skin, bones, teeth and meat of crocodile by an export company from this December.
"We expect to start the export of crocodile parts from next December," said Mushtaq Ahmed, the chief executive of the country's only company dealing with crocodiles - Reptiles Firm Ltd, recently.
"As many as 100 crocodiles will be exported in first batch," he said
"The hide of the crocodile will be the main export product. A crocodile with all its meat, bone, and teeth can be sold up to $ 1500."
The firm launched a crocodile farm on 15 acres of land at Uthura of Valuka in Mymensingh after bringing 75 salt water of crocodiles species from Malaysia in Dec 2004.
Of them, eight died later on, he said
Mushtaq said that they would not have any problem in getting buyers as the skin of such crocodiles is in great demand in the world market for manufacturing luxury product.
He also expressed the desire to turn the reptile farm in to a tourist spot.
"We want to grow 15,000 crocodiles by 2015 with export of 5,000 crocodiles a year"
Mentioning the benefits of crocodile farm, he said, "The project requires a few workers . Apart from this, crocodiles are less vulnerable to disease."
Mushtaq said initial investment was Tk 5 crore which now stands nearly at Tk 8 crore.
The chairman of the company, Mesbahul Huq, a pharmacist, financed the project.
In the beginning, the Equity and Entrepreneur Fund unit of Bangladesh Bank approved around Tk 2.5 crore in loan to begin this project.
-Asian Tribune-
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