Ethiopia’s only crocodile farm announced it will start exporting crocodile meat in the coming year to Asian countries.

According to Dr. Tigest Ashagre, the Farm manager, the ranch has only been exporting crocodile skin because there was no abattoir. She added the Farm is now preparing to export safe and quality crocodile meat to the international market where the demand is high and has a price of 260 US Dollars per Kilo. She commented this is a profitable business in bringing huge foreign currency to
Ethiopia.

The construction of the abattoir is 90 percent through, Tigest said. She added the destination for the meat to be exported will be Asian nations.

Being first established in 1976 for the purpose of breeding crocodiles and exporting their skins, the Farm currently has some 7,750 crocodiles in its breeding pool and conservation site. However, Tigist stated, the earning form the export of crocodile skin went down through time.

According to the Manager, the major challenge the Farm currently faces is the lack of well equipped and skilled manpower specialized in crocodile farming. She added, “In a bid to tackle the problem, we have established strong links with higher learning institutions so as to train students in the field of crocodile farming”.

Other than exporting crocodile meat and skin the Farm has the ability to be a tourist site, Tigest said. She further noted the Farm has plans to establish a zoo and keep other animals such as ostrich and piton.

Source: The Ethiopian Herald