The Economics of Snail Farming

Snail farming is called Heliculture. Heliculture describes the process of raising snails for consumption.

Each snail has female and male reproductive organs to procreate fertile eggs. Hence, it is safe to say that snails are Hermaphrodites.

As for the nutritional benefits, snails are a vital source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, and protein. Also, snails are low in cholesterol, sodium, and fats.

Considered asustainable agro business in Nigeria, snail farming is highly economical. For a small start-up, you just need a little investment to receive proceeds from your snail farm. However, to get higher returns from the business, you should be ready to step up your investment to a larger scale.

ECONOMICS OF SNAIL REARING

Because snail is an export commodity, its value is especially high in countries outside Nigeria. The climate in Nigeria is particularly favorable for snail breeding.

Snail feeds are cost-effective, and you can rear your snails as a part-time job. As a result, you can easily make a lot of money from snail farming. During the dry season, snail prices increase, which
means more money for you.

Here’s a realistic sample to help you:

For instance, if you want to set up a commercial snail business of about 200 snails, you will need N200,000. N80,000 out of the money will go to the snail pen, and N120,000 will be used for the seed snails. One mature snail can give you proceeds of N250 to N800 in the market based on the size and season. This is just a sample because prices and market conditions soar each day.