Heliciculture, commonly known as snail farming, is the process of cultivation of edible snails. The meat and snail eggs can be consumed as escargot (as menu on the table) and as a delicacy.
Raising snails for food is called heliculture. Snails are hermaphroditic and this means that each snail has both the male and female reproductive organs to reproduce fertile eggs.
Snail is a very healthy source of protein, phosphorus, calcium and iron, and low in fats, sodium and cholesterol. There are many species of edible snails, and they vary in shape, size and colour.
Snail farming is considered to be one of the sustainable agribusinesses in Nigeria, even as it requires a little investment, depending on the scale, capable of giving good investment returns. They are often called ‘congo meat.’
Snail Breeding
Investment in snail under agribusiness could be an easy step to make wealth as it may not require heavy capital to start.
Snails are environment-friendly, because, unlike poultry or pigs, neither the snail nor its droppings smell offensively. Snails can also be reared in the backyard. Also, snails manure improve the organic content of the soil.
Snails can be reared in pen, cage, pit or in free range system. Archachatina Archachatina and Archachatina Marginata Species are widely known as West African Giant Snails.
It is better to stock already domesticated snails to enable them to get used to their new environment as they grow to adult. Wild adult snails caught and immediately confined may die because of the environment, the confinement and the food.
Snails are hermaphrodites having both male and female reproductive organs and this means that all the snails in the farm will be busy laying eggs continuously. A good snail breeder can produce 60-young snails in a year after mortality. The profit in snail farming is encouraging because each Archachatina Marginata snail under good management can produce at least 100 eggs in a year and a small scale farmer can keep at least 300 snail breeders and make profit.
Lucrative Business?
With the continuous rise of agricultural ventures in Nigeria, one can get involved in snail farming. Snail farming is a lucrative business venture and is one of the most profitable farming business in Nigeria currently.
In Nigeria, demand for snail meat is on increase because their meat is very nutritious and very good healthwise. Because of this, it is highly acceptable and tons of snail meat is consumed worldwide every year.
Snail produces white meat and contains the highest amounts of digestible proteins and lowest cholesterol and fat of all types of meat. This animal is very easy and cheap to breed. They feed mainly on decaying organic matters, green and dry leaves, manure, peels, sand, among others.
Business Capital
With N50, 000 to N100,000, anyone can start small scale snail farming.