Oliver Kazunga recently in Binga
BINGA Crocodile Farm has acquired an additional 10 hectares of land to create more space for its over 40 000 reptiles to improve quality of the meat and skins for local and overseas markets.
In an interview in Binga, one of the managers at the farm, Mr Anthony Sherren said space was critical to the growth of their business as well as achieving quality standards.
“Presently, we have over 40 000 crocodiles and we are trying to stabilize our numbers. The thrust now is for quality and not as much as quantity and so we are consolidating a bit.
“Our expansion is all to do with spacing and achievement of quality and both sections of the farm that we have currently cover 15ha and our new development will probably be in the region of 10ha,” he said.
Mr Sherren said the crocodiles would be distributed to the new section depending on new age groups at the old section of the farm.
Binga Crocodile Farm is one of the major employers in Binga district employing about 200 workers and due to the expansion projects presently being undertaken, employment at the farm is set to increase by 10 percent.
Mr Sherren would not be drawn into revealing how much they had invested in the project saying the project was a multi-million dollar initiative.
“It’s a huge investment; building costs are huge, running costs are huge so, it has taken millions of dollars over the years. We are a bigger employer in the community, we employ a lot of people and obviously with our expansion there will be opportunities for more employment,” he said.
Binga Crocodile Farm supplies the meat to local hotels as well as exporting it and other crocodile products such as skins and meat mainly to Belgium. The Matabeleland North-based breeders also exports mixed skins to Singapore.
The farm slaughters about 12 000 crocodiles per year.
Crocodile products are in high demand mostly in Asian and European markets.
— @okazunga.