fashion houses snapped Aussie croc farm

  International fashion houses snapped Australian crocodile farms to meet the demand for

accessories from the skins of reptiles feed made, said a farmer.

Lillian Lever, the Koorana Crocodile Farm, has near Rockhampton, approached at least once a

month by the international fashion houses, who want to buy in his field, the salt water

crocodile skins exported.

She said five companies were acquired last year in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

"What happens is that they are able to set prices,'' she said.

"It will turn into a monopoly.''

She said the crocodile farms are expensive to implement, and as long as there is only a small

group of companies that can afford to, they can buy.

Much of his croc skins are exported to Europe.

There are 14 commercial farms croc in Australia, the value of exports of crocodile skins of

about $ 20 million per year.

Lever said Louis Vuitton bought a farm in Innisfail in north Queensland, while Hermes has

brought in Cairns and two in the Northern Territory.