Crocodile breeding companies such as Hoa Ca, Ton Phat and Forimex in Ho Chi Minh City have exported 7,400 live crocodiles and 5,603 crocodile-skins in the first four months of this year to Japan, Italy, China, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Australia.

Most of the crocodiles are exported to China and nearly all of the crocodile-skins to Thailand.

The Municipal Department of Forest Management has recently issued licenses to crocodile companies such as Ton Phat, Suoi Tien, Forimex and Hoa Ca to export their products, including 11,000 live crocodiles, 1,420 salted and 1,526 tanned skins.

At present the City has a total of 151,000 crocodiles raised mainly in Cu Chi, Binh Chanh and No 12 districts.