Snail farming (heliciculture) is one of the most lucrative agricultural ventures in Nigeria, yet many are unaware of its potential. It requires minimal investment and you’ll barely have any competition in your locale because snail farmers are quite few in Nigeria. That makes this particular sector untapped in Nigeria and beyond.

For young entrepreneurs who want to start a business, snail farming may not be the first business idea to come to your head, but it’s viable. And if you’re interested in knowing how to begin, you’ve come to the right place. This post will enlighten you about the nature of snail business and how to start it.

Why Snail Farming?

The potential of snail business in Nigeria is massive, but grossly underrated. Multiple research reveals that just one in fifty Nigerians are snail farmers. This means the supply of snails to market solely depends on this small percentage of heliciculturists. As a result, there’s a higher demand than supply, which creates an opportunity for aspiring farmers like you.

Snails are always in demand. Hotels and fast food restaurants are always in demand of snails. The annual demand for snails in Nigeria is 7.5 million kg. Should you become a snail farmer, you will breach the demand and supply gap and make so much profits.

How to Start a Snail Farm Business in Nigeria

You could start this business in your backyard if you have ample space. Here are five steps to follow to begin your snail business in Nigeria.

1.    Acquire the Necessary Knowledge

Snail business is just like any other business, you don’t just jump into it without being knowledgeable. Learn more about the business, the rearing aspect and the business side. This would go a long way in ensuring stability.

2.    Choose the Species to Farm

Your training and research must have exposed you to different snail species, such as Achatina achatina or giant African land snail, garden snail, Roman snail, Mediterranean green snail, milk snail, etc. In regions like Africa and notably Nigeria, the best species for snail farming is the giant African land snail because it suits warm climates. Also, decide whether you are choosing snail for its meat or slime. Furthermore, purchase fresh quality snails to enable them to produce healthy snails.

3.    Set Up Your Housing

Some snail farmers use old vehicle tires as their snail pens. This could work if you want to start small and don’t have sufficient capital. If you want to go further, set up a spacious trench pens with a soil depth of 10 inches. Your snails must have ample space to roam to hasten development and avoid the risk of disease outbreak. Younger snails must have a comfortable shelter and they should be kept in a regulated environment to prevent dehydration.

4.    Feeding

Snails are omnivores - they feed on insects, worms, and vegetables, such as cabbage, lettuce, okra leaves, etc. You can also feed them with fruits and meal leftovers. When feeding them, ensure there’s enough calcium and egg shells to promote growth and stronger shells. Food and water should be made available to your snails morning and evening daily.

5.    Reproduction

Snail mating occurs during Spring and Summer and can fertilize each other during maturity. For a smooth egg laying, you should sandy-loam as their soil habitat because it contains a high level of organic matter. Snails sexually mature 8 to 12 months after hatching and lay eggs that hatch after 6 weeks. You should expect at least 5 clutches of eggs. Each clutch can lay up to 200 eggs under suitable conditions. After hatching, put the young snails in a separate pen to allow growth.

6.    Harvesting

Snails typically take an average of two years to mature. It’s unwise to harvest them before their maturity because they could be low-quality meat. To know if your snails have reached full maturity, inspect the shell brim. If it’s hard and thick, the snail is mature. Don’t harvest all your snails at once, as you’d need some for base stock.

Costs of Starting a Snail Farm Business in Nigeria

As mentioned, starting a snail business isn’t capital intensive. According to snail farmers, if you intend to go commercial on a small scale, you need between N100,000 and N200,000 to start. This cost covers the breeding snails to purchase, feed, pen house, and the training.

African giant snails take about 9-15 months to mature and since each snail has the capacity of about 100 eggs with about 60-80% hatching rate, you are getting no less than 50 snails from a giant snail. This multiplied by the total of your initial stock, you are guaranteed to be making a lot of money even from the 1st year of business.

Conclusion

Snail farming in Nigeria is a low-risk offline business with huge potential. This untapped market can bring millions using little investment. The best part is you can start it in your backyard and improvise housing for the snails. If you need to farm, the best time is during the rainy season because snails breed well at this time.

Remeber, the essence of this article is to sensitize you on the potentials in this business, you are advised to carry out further researches to broaden your knowledge so you can start off on a good note.