Afghanistan to export scorpion venom

Officials in Chamber of Commerce and Industry in western Herat province say half a kilogram of scorpion venom, which is worth around two and half million dollars, will be exported from the province in the near future.
According to the information of the chamber, the venom produced by scorpion is used in drugs, especially the once for cancer treatment.
Khalil Ahmad Yarman, executive manager of the chamber, told Pajhwok Afghan News that a farm of snakes and scorpions was established two year ago with one million dollar investment.
He said that 4,000 scorpions and two snakes are kept in some specific devises and poison is derived from the insects in standard ways by four professional doctors.
He added that every kilogram of scorpion venom are sold for 10 million dollars in American companies, but due to the lack of a direct links with those companies Afghans sold the material to other firms with half of the real price.