Economy bites gator farmers

• By STEVEN WARD
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Jul 4, 2009 - Page: 1A

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Cut Off alligator farmer Gerald Savoie sold 50,000 hides last year.

This year, Savoie has not sold one hide.

“Things are bad,” Savoie said. “I’ve lost a lot of money. More than you can imagine.”

There are 59 licensed alligator farms in Louisiana, according to the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

And all of them are hurting financially because of the recession, said Ruth Elsey, the department’s Alligator Program biologist.

“We are very sympathetic with our farmers,” Elsey said.

Consumers are not buying as many luxury items, such as purses and watch straps made of alligator hides, as in previous years, said Wayne Sagrera, owner and operator of the Vermilion Gator Farm in Mouton Cove near Abbeville.

Because demand is down for high-end alligator products, the farmers said, tanners who buy hides do not need the harvest.

Elsey said Savoie and Sagrera run two of the biggest gator farms in the state.

Sagrera’s farm, in operation since 1983, sells between 120,000 and 150,000 skins a year, most of them used for watch straps.

“The market’s just not there right now. It’s shutting down,” he said.

Sagrera has about 20 employees, he said, but if the demand for his product does not increase, he may have to lay off some of those people.

Savoie, who has run his farm in Lafourche Parish for more than 20 years, said he was forced to lay off six employees two months ago.