Snail farming might not be the first thing that comes into your mind when you think of business opportunities that are profitable to start in Nigeria.

This article will make you aware of the massive wealth which can be made through the establishment of an enterprise of snail farming in Nigeria.

Why Snail Farming?

The market potential of snail farms in Nigeria and across Africa is vast, yet undervalued. Snails constitute a significant part of the diet of many regions of Africa however, they’re not always inexpensive and readily available throughout the year.

If you raise snails in commercial quantities hotels, restaurants, and fast food establishments will be your frequent customers.

In Nigeria the cost of matured and raw snails can go from N250 to N600, depending upon the amount. The annual demand for snails in Nigeria is approximately 7.5million kilograms annually.

The snail trade is booming across Europe as well as North America. In the United State America imports more than $4 million worth of snails every year from across the globe including Nigeria.

Since the beginning picking snails from the fields or the bush was the only method for snails to reach the market and to the table.

The demand for snails is much higher than the supply which indicates that the market for snail is endless, globally and locally.

The establishment of both large and small scale snail farming enterprises is the best method to fill the gaps that exist between snails and the supply of it in Africa.

5 Steps To Starting A Snail Farm In Nigeria 2022

Below are the five fundamental steps you must follow in order to start a successful snail-farming business Nigeria in 2022

Step 1: Decide On The Snail Species You Want To Keep For Your Farm

In order to create a snail farm it is necessary to select only one species of snail. Studies have shown that snail species like Achatina is the most suitable for warmer climate areas such as Africa.

Step 2: Prepare Your Farmland To Be Used For Housing.

Your snail’s home must have enough space to allow your snails to roam free. In the event of overcrowding, it hinders the growth of snails and consequently should not be done.

A properly-spaced snail house lowers the risk of outbreaks of diseases due to overcrowding.

Snails are adept in escaping their homes where they live, which is why it is important to build an escape-proof housing. Pens are a good option for a home that is spacious and easily accessible, with a soil thickness of 10 inches and trees in the vicinity.

Step 3: Buy Your Snails

If you’re planning to set up your own snail farm it is necessary to purchase the snails. After you have set up a suitable housing space and farmland to house the snails, the time is now to purchase some fresh snails at the market or from any farm. It is always recommended to inspect the snails before purchasing to ensure that they’re healthy.

When you begin with your farm of snails, it’s important to have healthy full grown snails to lay eggs and contribute to the growth of your farm. Take a look at the snail’s shell. If there’s a lip, it indicates they’re fully grown snails.

Step 4: Feeding And Rearing The Snails

Snails are a vegetarian and are fed with a wide variety of food items like cucumber, cabbage, mango and bananas, eggplant tomatoes, pear Okra, paw-paw, cassava leaves, or even lettuce. But, you could also feed snails bananas, pineapple, or the paw.

Mating and laying eggs is an essential part of snail farming. In general, mating takes place between the spring and summer.

Being hermaphrodites, snails are able to fertilize one another as soon as they’re mature enough. To ensure that eggs to lay smoothly, you must utilize high-quality soil that has the right humidity and temperature.

Stage 5: Harvesting, And Then Selling Of Snails

It’s not economically prudent to collect your snails prior to they reach maturity. They need to be mature prior to harvesting. Don’t take all the matured snails in one go to offer them on the market.

It is essential to keep a some for breeding purposes and also to be used as a the base stock in your farm snails.

Snail has a high market demand and is priced well. You can sell snails at the local market. The consumption of snail meat is rising rapidly around the world. Therefore, exporting to the international market could earn you more cash.

Cost of Starting A Snail Farming Business

The essential expenses you have be aware of if you’re contemplating how to establish an animal farm are: housing, purchasing fresh snails, food processing, handling of your snails, marketing and transport.

It is possible to start your business by investing N60,000 or N100,000. It all depends the size you would like your farm of snails to become. In addition to the amount of your investment, you can also choose to raise 1,000,000 snails that are worth over N5 million every year.

How Much You Can Earn From Snail Farming In Nigeria

This is possible due to the availability of extremely prolific Achatina snails that lay between 200-400 in a single batch, which is twice or three times per year.

If you can produce 100,000 snails which sell at N250 per snail that is N250 x 100,000, you’ll earn N2,500,000. You’ll earn about N25,000,000 annually or more if you make 1,000,000 snails.

For those who are new to the field, developing an enterprise plan for snail farming is a vital element that must be taken before beginning. This will provide you with the complete understanding of what that must be completed.

Watch How Mr. Edet Made Money From Snail Farming

Conclusion

In terms of costs and time snail farming is an extremely low-risk venture. As opposed to many other livestock enterprises snail farming has minimal startup and operational costs. It is possible to set up your snail farm in within the yard of your home to avoid the purchase of farm land.

The ideal time to begin setting up with a snail farming business is during the period of rain, especially from July through October as this is when snails typically begin breeding.

Also, it is important to know that snail prices rise when there is a shortage in the months between march and december which is when it’s dry.

Many snail farmers have earned big money in rearing, harvesting, and selling these animals.

However, there are some relevant tips you need to know before going into snail farming.
This article will teach you how to start a snail farming business in Nigeria.

5 Tips to starting a snail farming business in Nigeria

If you are looking for some essential guides to starting a snail farm, I have a list of five tips you should follow. 

1. Choosing the type of snail you want to rear
2. Snail housing
3. Buying of the snail
4. Snail feeding and breeding
5. Harvesting the snail

1. Choose the type of Snail you want to rear

This aspect is an essential factor for anyone in the snail rearing business. The species of snail you want to rear must be suitable for your environment. Different species of snails survive in varying weather conditions. The species of snail you wish to breed must be considered before anything else. I have a list of three different species of snails below;

• Achatina Fulica
• Achatina Achatina
• Archachatina Marginata

All the above species of snail are suitable for farming and commercialization. However, Achatina Achatina is the most commercially favorable snail species in Africa. This species of snails are sizable and can lay up to 300 eggs per clutch.  Achatina Achatina is best for snail farming due to some key factors. Their capacity to yield more offspring puts them as the best option. Starting a snail farm with 2 000 of this species could generate 2.5 million snails in a couple of years. 

So, If you want to start a snail farming business in Nigeria, Achatina Achatina is the best option.

2. Snail housing’

The set-up of a good snail house on your farm is essential. You need space to avoid overcrowding the snails. Crowded snail houses can make them prone to diseases. There are various ways to construct suitable snail housing. Snails are good at escaping, and you must make sure that you do not leave escape routes in the house. 

Snails are prone to dehydration which can cause dryness of the animal. One of the leading causes of dehydration in snails is wind. This condition means that you should construct the snailries in an environment free from wind. The surrounding of the snail house is also essential.

Keeping the snails close to banana and plantain trees is also advisable. Planting Banana and plantain trees close to the snailries can reduce the effect of wind on the snails. The snail house should also have a soil depth of at least 10 inches. 

3. Buying of the Snails

After choosing the best snail species you want to farm, purchasing the snails is another aspect you want to get right. The amount of snails you can buy strictly depends on your budget.
The size and maturity of the snail are deciding factors of the price of snails in Nigeria. 

You. You can buy a snail for around N250 to N600 in Nigeria. However, this price depends on the size. Starting a snail business is not as financially demanding as the others. But when starting, you have to buy the number of snails that you can maintain and feed regularly. 

It is advisable to buy healthy snails and lay eggs to increase the numbers on the farm. For this reason, Achatina Achatina ticks all the boxes as it is the best option for commercial snail farming.

4. Snail feeding and Breeding

Feeding and other general maintenance are crucial for rearing a snail. Snails love vegetables and fruits. Feed your snails with fruits like banana, melon, cabbage, carrot, paw-paw, lettuce, and plantain. They also feed on potatoes, pumpkins, and leaves. 

Calcium supplements are very healthy for your snails. These supplements are vital for the formation of shells. As a snail farmer, you should provide calcium supplements occasionally for healthy purposes.

The laying of eggs is very vital in rearing snails. When mating occurs in spring and summer, you should prepare suitable soils for the egg-laying period. The soil should have the right temperature and humidity. The appropriate soil for rearing snails should have the following characteristics;

• Sandy-loamy soil
• The soil must have water holding capacity
• The soil must not be acidic or clayey
• Snails must not be reared on waterlogged soils

5. Harvesting the snails

The final stage in snail farming is harvesting your snails. The best time to sell your snails is when they have attained maturity. Snail maturity can take around six months to be ready for consumption. 

It is advisable to harvest the snails only when they are matured. Also, you should not sell all the matured snails at one time. Keep hold of some matured snails for breeding purposes.

The consumption of snails is growing widely popular, and the demand is increasing. Snail farming can be very lucrative if you do it the right way.

The five stages I have highlighted can assist you in starting a snail farming business in Nigeria. This business may not be as popular as the others. But it is less expensive to kickstart and can be very lucrative at the end of the day. 

Snail business also has a low risk because it consumes less money and time. Young entrepreneurs can venture into this business very quickly.

The following section will discuss the financial demands of starting a snail farming business in Nigeria. 

How much does it cost to Start a Snail farming business in Nigeria?

Starting a snail farming business is not capital intensive. The amount of money you need to start this business depends on how large you want the snail farm. You can start a snail farming business in Nigeria with about N80, 000 to N100 000. 

This investment would undoubtedly yield a lot of income at the end of the day. With this starting budget, you can produce up to a million snails in one year. A high yield of snails annually can generate a lot of income. You can also get a return on your investment as soon as possible.

Is the Snail farming business worth it?

The snail farming business in Nigeria is a great opportunity. Although it is not common, snail farming is a very lucrative business idea. These animals are in high demand as many people consume them as meat. Hotels, restaurants, and fast foods are among the biggest buyers of snails. You have a long customer list to sell if you want to start a snail farming business in Nigeria</strong>.

Snail farming can earn you a lot of income, even when starting with small capital. The annual demand for snails is 7.5kg million every year. It is a massive opportunity for you to grow a business with this type of farming. 

On the international scene, snails are in high demand. Countries like the USA spend close to $4 million on snails every year. Europe is also another big fan of these animals. The chance to export snails is an advantage to farmers rearing them. 

The general high demand for snails shows it is worth the time, money, and energy to invest in farming.  You do not have to start big, but you can grow your business with the suitable species of snails on your farm.

Pest and disease of Snails

A healthy living for snails is vital to having a successful rearing experience. To effectively rear snails, you have to be aware of the dangers of pests and diseases. Avoiding pests and diseases on your farm is crucial to the survival of the snails. 

Ants are the most dangerous threats to the survival of snails. Pests like lizards, snakes, termites and turkeys, and chickens can prey on your snails. Keeping your farm free of these pests is essential to avoid attacks on your snails.  

Snails can get sick and infected with diseases. The body system of the snails can get attacked by worms and other bacteria. Proper treatment and medication can prevent them from dying. However, it is better to avoid or prevent them from contracting diseases from worms and other bacteria.

So, this is all you need to know about how to start a snail farming business in Nigeria. If you want to know more about this article, check out the ‘Frequently Asked Questions and Answers” section below.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers 

How much can you earn with snail farming?

The snail farming business is lucrative. You can make hundreds of thousands or more with this business. If you produce 100 000 snails in a year and sell them for N300 each, it amounts to 3 000 000. Earning 3 000 000 a year is a massive income on your profit. It is also affordable to start and easy to breed. 

How long does it take for snails to mature?

Snails are matured for consumption from the sixth month. However, the maturity cycle starts from the six weeks when they reach sexual maturity. Here are the complete stages of snail maturity. 

Birth – Sexual maturity – Mating – Gestation – Egg hatching. 

Where are snails found?

Snails are found in different environments. Their habitats include gardens, fields, riverbanks, suburbs, forests, streams, and jungles. 

Where should I buy snails for my farming business?

When purchasing a snail for your farm, it is advisable to source from deep forests and snail farms.  Snails from the local markets and cities are mainly meant for consumption. 

Conclusion

Snail farming is one of the safest options for young entrepreneurs considering costs and other factors. Between December and March, snails are expensive due to the dry weather. It is more appropriate to begin your snail farming during the rainy season. You can start a snail farming business at your house before expanding as time goes on. 

Also, the species of snail you choose will be vital to the success of your business. In this case, Achatina Achatina is the most valuable option. This species is productive and suits the commercial purposes of snail farming.

So, I hope this article has shown you how to start a snail farming business in Nigeria. Get to work and tap into one of Nigeria’s most beneficial types of farming.

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