Python exporting

[bowman]

Ghana python export earnings plummet due to glut

ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana's earnings from exporting pythons slid more than 40
percent in 2000 as rising exports from neighbouring states flooded the
world market, forestry officials said on Wednesday.
Around 30,000 pythons, both farmed and caught in the wild, were exported,
mainly to the United States and Europe, for a total of $91,000 -- down from
over $160,000 taken the previous year from the sale of 33,000 of the
reptiles.
"Due to exports in larger quantities by Togo and Benin, causing price
fluctuation from five to between two and three dollars per python, trading
did not favour Ghanaian wildlife exporters," Brian Basuglo, senior wildlife
protection officer at Ghana's Forestry Commission, told Reuters.
"They are mostly used as pets and in some instances for scientific
purposes. However, the larger ones are sometimes used as delicacies in
restaurants," Basuglo said.
Python skins are also used for highly priced shoes, bags and belts.


sorry -- just couldn't resist