Zambia’s crocodile farmers to raise investment and exports

JOHANNESBURG  – Zambia’s crocodile farmers are poised to increase investment, production and skin exports after the government suspended a 10 percent export duty that was hurting the sector, an industry association said on Thursday.

The removal of the duty on crocodile skins has helped boost producers’ viability, the Zambia Crocodile Farmers Association (ZaCFA) said in a statement.

Farmers who survived the negative financial impact of the export duty and were still in operation, now hoped to focus on improving the quality of skins, increasing their capacity as well as upgrading and creating facilities to enable local value addition, it added.

“The Zambian crocodile industry has the potential to lead the world market. In the value-chain, crocodile skins benefit the manufacturing, agriculture and tourism sectors,” ZaCFA spokesman Bill Thomas said.

“The industry supports non-traditional exports and renewable agriculture exports. The crocodile industry has huge potential to position Zambia as a global power in the farming and supply of crocodile skins. Zambian farmers already supply crocodile skins to leather companies like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and many big international fashions brands.”