Snail farming, also known as heliciulture, is one of the sustainable, agribusinesses that many ignore. Snail farming is the process of raising edible snails for human consumption or cosmetic purposes. Snails can be reared in boxes made of suitable substances like wire gauze (net) and wood, and different kinds of snaileries can be built.Some factors have to be taken into consideration, such as the snails’ stage of development and habits.
Health Benefits
Snail is a common delicacy and healthy meat, credited with being a very healthy source of protein, phosphorus, calcium and iron, and low in fats, sodium and cholesterol.
Positives
Like every other business, there are some positives and negatives to snail farming. Even though, in this case, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives.
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It Doesn’t Take Up a Lot of Space
To venture into snail rearing you don’t need that much space. Unlike fish and poultry farming, you do not necessarily need to set up spacious infrastructure to get started, a little space is enough.
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Low cost of Feeding
Many of the daily necessities for successful farming are provided by nature as a gift. Things like snail food, for example, are mainly leaves, fruits, or herbs that can be obtained locally, things that can be found for free. Apart from the cheap and affordable snail food, most of the materials that will be used to feed your snails are usually household waste.
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You Can Make a Lot of Profit.
The demand for snail meat (escargot) is high both in the local and international markets and that makes it a lucrative business. Though it requires a little investment, the profit margin on snail farming is high. They are easily exportable live, with a shelf life ranging from two to six months. In terms of cost and time, farming is a low risk and
profitable business unlike many other farming businesses all snails are edible. It depends on the environment and community you find yourself. What is not edible in one community is edible in another community.
A Few Negatives
If you are looking for a quick source of income, don’t venture into it. You’ll get tired because they need time to grow. And if you want to start cashing out millions, then you must be ready to invest in the business. You need to understand the technicalities to be successful in the business. You cannot just wake up and do it on your own. Someone has to show you what to do. Only after that can you begin to understand how it works. You will also learn on your own as you continue.
Snails are night eaters. You need to feed them at night. (This could be an advantage if you’re a day worker).
