Learn About Snail Farm Business That Has Huge Potential In Profit For Beginners
Snails are animals that are often considered as pests by some people. However, they actually can be used as a profitable business. They are currently in demand in most countries, mainly Japan and Europe. Since they are beneficial to humans and the environment. So, in this article, you get to learn about the snail farm business and how to cultivate them.
Ways of Cultivating Snail Farm Business in Nigeria
1. Choose the Right Snail Species
Keep in mind, not all snail species can be cultivated, especially in hot weather like Nigeria. Only certain species can, mainly Achatina Fulica (land snail), Achatina Achatina (tiger snail), and Archachatina Marginata (giant snail). Make sure the snails you choose are weighing from 75-100 grams, or the larger ones with no defects.
2. Setting up the Breeding Area
Snails need proper humidity and shade, also away from direct sunlight. You can choose to mix the large and small snails, or separate them using different snail pens. Make sure the snail farm housing is secured, so the snails can’t escape. Last but not least, put some leaves and twigs in there.
You can build a snail pen for your snails with the following options:
- Box pen made of wood, 1×1 meter, and add wire mesh on top.
- Dry soil pens that are dug up to 2 meters. Add raised beds to cover it and keep the pen moist.
- Cement tub pens with a soil base of about 30 cm.
3. Buy Your Snails
Buy fully grown or matured snails at the market or at the nearest farm. It’s best to check all the snails before bringing them home, so that they are in good condition. Therefore, you’ll get superior snail species that will grow and develop well. Hence, buy dozens or hundreds of snails to start up.
4. Breeding Period and Hatching
Snails have a mating period between 6-7 months. The female snails will search for a safe place to lay eggs. They’ll produce as many as 50-100 eggs in one hatch. The snail eggs will hatch in a shell-like form when they are old enough. If a pen meets suitable conditions, mainly climate and humidity, it causes snail eggs to hatch more quickly.
5. Rearing and Feeding
Snails should be reared once they are 7-15 days old. Move the baby snails carefully into a bigger pen since their shells are prone to breaking. The key to growing quality snails is quality feed. You can get good quality feed from fruits and leaves. Specifically, papaya, banana, mango, pear, cucumbers, cabbage, tomato, etc.
6. Harvest
Snails can be harvested 5-8 months later. They have the characteristics of a shell measuring from 8-10 cm. From here, you can start selling them at local markets or online.
Are You Now Interested in the Snail Farm Business?
Cultivating snails is a promising and easy business to do. In fact, the annual demand for snails in Nigeria is around 7.5 million kg each year. This is advantageous where prices for raw and matured snails range from N250-N600.
With several ways mentioned above, snails can become a lucrative source of income. However, keep in mind that the process of cultivating snails requires quite a lot of time and effort. Therefore, prepare well before starting your own snail farm business in Nigeria.
