The Financial of Tbilisi, Georgia, reports that the exotic animal business introduced into the country by local and foreign investors over the past 10 years all failed.
Frogs, crocodiles, and ostriches bred in Georgia did not find a local meat market niche. Georgia's top export markets are wine, mineral water, and nuts. It was hoping to add exotic meat to the list.
Since the introduction of frogs in 2009, over 250,000 frogs were exported, making it a profitable business. But France was the only consumer of Georgian frogs, especially in the first six months of 2010. In 2011, the export of frogs ceased. The reason is unknown.
A crocodile farm in Georgia was hoping to import meat and leather. Fifty crocodiles were brought from Australia to Zugdidi in western Georgia to pilot an experimental crocodile egg farm. From four eggs, four crocodiles were incubated, but two died soon after hatching. Crocodile rearing is not get-rich-quick scheme: it takes a minimum of eight years and up to 20 years for crocodiles to reach maturity. So if people are thinking of crocodile farming, it is estimated that $10 million and 20 years is required before profits are realized. Most crocodile farms are in tropical regions of Africa, Australia, Thailand, America, and Indonesia.
About four years ago, there was an ostrich farm in Georgia, but this too has failed. It is said that it produced 2,000-3,000 chicks a year, but there wasn't enough demand for ostrich meat. Costs were prohibitive too.
The reason for all the failures appears to be that the exotic creatures did not adapt to the environmental conditions and climate of Georgia. However, the actual reasons are still unknown. Perhaps the lack of demand in the region and worldwide had a significant impact.
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