Angkor Travel

 

 

 

Cambodia is set to export over 3,000 live crocodiles this September, marking a significant move to stabilise its struggling reptile farming industry and reduce dependence on informal trade channels.

 

According to Ouk Vibol, Director of the Fisheries Conservation Department, the Chinese-owned Siem Reap Kowloon International Trading Co Ltd will ship more than 1,000 adult crocodiles to China, following a previous batch of 1,700 sent earlier this year.

 

Meanwhile, the Siem Reap Angkor Crocodile Farming Community has secured permits to export approximately 2,000 crocodiles to Vietnam.

 

China remains the dominant global buyer of live Siamese crocodiles, accounting for nearly 80% of imports between 2010 and 2020. The demand is largely driven by the luxury leather industry and meat consumption. Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam collectively exported nearly 400,000 skins and over 80,000 crocodile bodies during that decade.

 

Despite Cambodia’s potential—boasting around 200 farms and 65,000 breeding stock—the sector faces persistent challenges. Vibol highlighted the role of middlemen in undercutting prices and facilitating illegal exports, which has eroded trust between farming communities and trading firms. Only 21 Cambodian farms are currently registered with the CITES Secretariat, allowing them to export legally under regulations protecting the endangered Siamese crocodile.

 

Efforts are now underway to promote fairer business practices and curb illicit trade. The Fisheries Administration, in collaboration with CITES, is encouraging farm registration and compliance with international standards.

 

Market volatility remains a concern. Prices for hatchlings have swung dramatically—from as low as $0.38 to between $7 and $12 this year. While the global crocodile skin trade has declined since 2013, nearly four million skins were still traded between 2017 and 2019, according to a UN Environment Programme study.

 

Cambodia’s latest export push signals a cautious revival for an industry long plagued by uncertainty, offering hope to farmers seeking a more stable and transparent market.

 

 

 

-2025-09-01

Perhaps Thailand could become the hub of the leather industry.

Crosscountry trip or airlifted? 

On a more sombre note, do not forget to export Cambodia's biggest crocodile clan of the very rare "Hun" family 😉