By John Cassim
Zimbabwe’s crocodile industry is pinning its hopes on various legislative reviews, including the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, for survival. The industry currently faces numerous challenges such as a punitive 30% forex retention, exorbitant water charges, a depressed skin market, pollution from mining activities, and the effects of climate change.
This was revealed by Jimmyson Kazangarare, the outgoing Chairperson of the Crocodile Farmers Association of Zimbabwe, during their Annual General Meeting in Harare over the weekend.
According to Kazangarare, these challenges have hindered growth over the past few years, to the extent that only 12 registered crocodile farms are still in operation, compared to 47 farms at the industry’s peak in 1992.
“We have seen regulations and standards being established to control the farming of the crocodiles. Animal welfare and compliance issues have taken centre stage to make it one of the over regulated industries in the country.
Coupled with the restrictive forex retention policies from the monetary authorities, the industry is being suffocated by the punitive 30% surrender value of all export proceeds. Several farms have closed and others are at the verge of collapsing leaving us with 12 farms in production as at end of 2024,” Kazangarare bemoaned.
“However, we hope the industry will soon get a reprieve with the legislative reforms taking place. The Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill could come as a life saver owing to support, we are getting from Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), ZIMTRADE, Department of Veterinary services and Fish and Aquaculture Resources Department (FARD).
“We also appreciate the support from Dr. Anxious Masuka and Professor Obert Jiri, Minister and Permanent Secretary of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, in trying to address these anomalies,” Kazangarare added.
Some challenges affecting the industry include the depressed market due to skin oversupply, a problem caused by the break in sales induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Farmers also face the non-availability of long-term loans with concessionary rates. The current interest rates are said to be very high in Zimbabwe.
The elephant in the room is the water charges imposed by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), which are pegged at 2900% higher than those for farmers in tobacco, maize, wheat, and soya bean production.
Skins Export
The crocodile industry reported an 18% decline in the number of wet salted skins, from 86,454 exported in 2023 to 70,976 in 2024. This occurred despite the value of salted skins having increased by 8.68% due to an improvement in the quality and sizes of the skins.
Most farmers received an average of US$ 513 per skin and sometimes as high as US$ 691 per skin, up from as low as US$ 255 as turnover in the period under review.
On the other hand, the number of processed skins exported declined by 89% to 13,361. This was despite an improved value from US$ 39 to US$ 107 per skin. The value of a processed skin is only 20% of the wet and salted skin.
Meat Production
Zimbabwean crocodile farmers have not yet resumed meat exports since the ban due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We need to push for local consumption of the crocodile meat and try to find regional and continental markets that can consume the meat,” Kazangarare hinted.
Crocodile is considered a very important source of protein and could prove handy in a country that faces perennial food insecurity brought about by recurring droughts.
Meanwhile, the CFAZ has been urged to consider introducing grants aimed at assisting university students to carry out research that could in the future also help deal with emerging Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR).
Research could help the country tap into the lucrative cosmetic industry using crocodile meat by-products.
Human-Wildlife Conflict
Meanwhile, the CFAZ expressed concern over the increasing number of people being attacked, killed, or maimed by crocodiles throughout the country.
According to Croc Attack, an online global crocodile attack statistics site, Zimbabwe was ranked second to Zambia as the worst country in the entire world, in terms of the number of attacks between 2015 and 2024.
The database acknowledges that many attacks go unreported, but sadly, the country recorded 107 deaths from a total of 167 attacks. In Zambia, 116 people died from a total of 179 attacks.
However, Zimbabwe recorded the highest fatalities during the COVID-19 era, and it is suggested that victims were idle and ended up fishing to pass time and fetch relish.
A total of 35 deaths were recorded in 2022, becoming the highest in a year, while the highest number of attacks was recorded in 2021, being 37.
In all reports, Kariba tops the list in terms of attacks as well as deaths, followed by Binga.