Africa-Press – Malawi. The Minister of Industry Roy Kachale Banda over the weekend visited Nyika Farms Limited, which is breeding and rearing crocodiles for skin and meat in Salima.
The raised crocodiles range from days, months and 60 years old. Kachale Banda, speaking after touring the farm, said crocodile farming has a huge potential to boost foreign exchange (forex) in Malawi. He assured Nyika Farms Limited Manager, Reg Calvalho, that the government would create a conducive environment for the growth of the sector.
Calvalho said so far the farm has over 12, 000 crocodiles. He asked the government to help him establish a tannery where he would be adding value to the skins before exporting them to the West and other countries.
He said he intends to make high-class shoes, bags and clothes from the skins. Nyika Farms Limited has over 30 employees who take care crocodiles. A fully-grown crocodile can weigh up to 1.2 tonnes.
