Here we present a great opportunity for everyone.
There is a flourishing international trade of snails in Europe and North America. In France the annual requirement is about 50.000 Tones, over 60% of which is imported. The estimated annual consumption in Italy is 306 million snails which 50% is imported. In Spain alone, more than 4.000 tones are demanded every year. In LatinAmerica, there are three countries dedicated to the international trade: Chile, Peru and Argentina. Brasil only produces for its internal market.
From the above observation, it is therefore important that snail farming (heliculture) should be encouraged to attend the demand of international markets.
There are some important key factors to SNAIL FARMING:
1.- Snail farming is a virgin in the kingdom of livestock as a result the earlier investors without doubt have bright prospects in exploring this venture.
2.- Snail farming is still a practicable and viable venture yet unexplored in any market-country (due to an increasing demand)
3.- This technology has been approved to be most lucrative farming venture presently, as it requires far less capital investment, while much profit is being generated in a considerable short period. It has lower risk compared to other livestock farming.
4.- The demand for snail is higher than the supplies such the market potential of snail is inexhaustible, locally and internationally.
5.- Virtually every part of snail is of vital use in Food, Pharmaceutical industry, manufacturing and fishing industries.
6.- Snail is an export commodity, which has great value in overseas countries.
7.- Snail farming requires small capital and the running cost is very low, hence their feeds are very local.
8.- This is a real national and export market that earns foreign revenue without you running from pillar to post.
Besides the customary gardening tools (shovel, hoe, rake, cutlass, broom), the following
equipment and tools are needed in successful snail farming;
• small weighing scale, for weighing snails;
• feed measuring tape, for measuring pens;
• snails hand trowel, for digging in and cleaning out the pens;
• water container and watering can, for keeping the soil moist and refilling water and
feeding troughs or dishes; and
• most important: a notebook, for carefully recording inputs (e.g. labour, materials and
feed) and output of the snail farming venture.