[Valigator]

Reptile chic: UF wildlife ecologist says Florida alligator farmers cashing in on fashion trend
Filed under Research, Business, Florida, Agriculture on Monday, March 27, 2006.GAINESVILLE, Fla. — While some agricultural producers are facing tough times, Florida alligator farmers are cashing in on reptile chic – the growing worldwide demand for alligator skins on everything from belts and boots to $10,000 designer handbags.

“The market for high-end alligator leather products is very strong right now, and farmers are getting top dollar for their gator skins,” said Perran Ross, a wildlife ecologist with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “Florida alligator farming has had its ups and downs in recent years, but it’s definitely a good time for those who are already established in the business.”

He said Louisiana is the nation’s leading producer, harvesting about 300,000 alligators every year compared to 60,000 in Florida, but Hurricanes Katrina and Rita damaged alligator egg production in Louisiana. As a result, luxury-goods manufacturers in the United States and Europe need to secure future supplies of alligator skins, which is helping Florida farmers who can provide high quality products.

He said the value of finished alligator skin products may be anywhere from five to ten times the raw-product value.

Allen Register, owner of Gatorama in Palmdale, Fla., one of 60 licensed alligator farms in the state, said prices for alligator bellies range from $40 to $50 per foot, which is up by almost 50 percent from a few years ago. He said that belly skins are more valuable because they are soft and flat, compared to horn-back skins that have bumpy ridges and are often used in western-wear market.”