Crocodile farms in Vietnam's southern region are negotiating with Chinese partners to export more reptiles and their skins to China.

Two farms are discussing with the partners about coordination in opening crocodile restaurants and shops for selling items made from crocodile skin in China's southern Nanning city, according to local newspaper Vietnam Economic Times on Friday.

Crocodile farms in Vietnam exported 550 reptiles and 925 sets of crocodile skin, to China, Japan and some European countries, between January and mid-June, Nguyen Dinh Cuong, head of the Forest Ranger Bureau of southern Ho Chi Minh City, said, noting that the farms exported 4,400 crocodiles, mainly to China, and 100 sets of crocodile skin to Japan, in 2004.

"The Secretariat of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) has granted Vietnam quotas for exporting 24,000 crocodiles this year, up 60 percent over last year. Four crocodile farms in Ho Chi Minh City have registered to export 19,000," he said, noting that they were allowed to export the reptile since 2003.

Ho Chi Minh City, the biggest crocodile center of Vietnam, has developed a strategy on promoting the raising and export of the reptile and related products, under which more breeding farms, skin-tanneries and food processing facilities will be established between now and 2010.

The city currently houses 35 large farms with total crocodile population of over 78,500, of which four are eligible for exporting their products, Cuong said, noting that only five farms - - four in the city and one in southern An Giang province -- in Vietnam are allowed to export crocodiles.

CITES is an international agreement among governments, whose aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. It has been among the conservation agreements with the largest membership, with now 169 parties.

Source: Xinhua