Snail breeding is one of the low-competitive business ideas that are gaining more and more popularity. Snails are used as a meat delicacy, as well as for the production of preparations based on their extract in cosmetology and medicine. The lesson is suitable even for beginners, as it does not require significant investments, labor costs and special skills.
You can organize a small farm right in the apartment or in the summer cottage. Investments will be minimal and will pay off in a year or two due to the ability of snails to reproduce rapidly under favorable conditions. The preparatory stage will not take more than two months, providing the entrepreneur with an opportunity for a quick start.
The relevance of the business of breeding grape snails
The relevance of this business is dictated by the benefits of snail meat and caviar, as well as the mucus they secrete, which has a healing and rejuvenating effect on human skin. The fashion for this delicacy came to us from European countries, where the consumption of snails reaches several tons per year.
According to estimates, the annual market demand for the product is 100 thousand tons, while the demand is only 70% satisfied. This indicates the demand for the direction and the possibility of prospects for the development of activities.
The nuances of business on snails
Having decided to start a business on snails, you should not count on quick profits. It may take from one and a half to three years for an individual to mature . Therefore, it is initially recommended to purchase already mature snails to reduce the waiting time for income.
In this case, it is necessary to take into account the conditions of detention and recommendations for care, depending on the breed of the mollusk.
For home breeding for business purposes , two varieties of snails are most suitable:
- Grape snail, which has a shell 3-5 cm in diameter and is considered the largest and most delicious in Europe. It is bred in terrariums, greenhouses, gardens. An individual brings about 60 eggs per year;
- Achatina, which is one of the most popular for sale. It grows to quite large sizes with a shell length of up to 10-20 cm, but it is demanding on the conditions of detention: it is grown only in mollusks. For a year it can produce 5-6 clutches up to 300 eggs each.
You can grow them directly on the ground by installing aviaries or greenhouses or indoors using terrariums.
How to organize a home mini farm for breeding snails
You can start a business by growing snails right in an apartment or on a personal plot, and in the future, under favorable circumstances, think about a full-fledged farm.
In regions with a warm climate, it is allowed to keep grape snails in natural conditions on a plot of land with an area calculated at a ratio of 1 m2 per 30-40 individuals . To create an aviary, you will need to enclose a shady place with a concave-shaped fence on a foundation 20 cm deep with a wall height of 50 cm to 1 m.
From above, the fence is covered with a fine-mesh metal mesh. Inside, mounds and trenches are formed to collect water and shelter shellfish, plants are planted to feed them: wild grapes, nettles, burdock, etc. But ordinary grass will also do.
With artificial feeding in a greenhouse or indoors, up to two hundred adult snails can be placed on the same area . Their diet will be special feed, fresh herbs, milk powder and chalk. In greenhouse conditions, snails grow faster, but this method requires certain physical and material costs.
In both cases, it is necessary to provide the mollusks with warmth by installing heating so that at low temperatures they do not hibernate. The optimum temperature for keeping grape snails is 20-230 C , Achatina – 25 degrees , humidity is not lower than 85%. Sudden changes in temperature and humidity are unacceptable. In addition, you need to make good ventilation, and regularly clean the aviaries and cuvettes from dirt and mucus, changing the litter twice a week.
When growing snails in an apartment, a room with an area of at least 20 m2 is allocated, where racks with tanks for mollusks are installed and habitat conditions close to natural are created. One pair of Achatina or 6 grape snails is placed in a 50-liter tank. The litter for the latter is formed from leaves, soil, coconut fiber and fertilized with calcium or other elements. For Achatina – only from coconut fiber or a substrate without soil.
Market and competition analysis
Before starting a business, it is worth analyzing the level of market demand and competition in the region of presence, the number of possible distribution channels, and product prices.
Information of interest can be found on the Internet, and then contact potential buyers and discuss the conditions. Well, if you manage to enter the European market, where the cost of a delicacy is 3-5 euros per kilogram .
Search for distribution channels
Establishing distribution channels is one of the main issues that can cause difficulties for start-up entrepreneurs. First of all, it is worth focusing on domestic markets.
You can sell products:
- cafes and restaurants specializing in European dishes from snails;
- enterprises engaged in the preparation of semi-finished products and the preservation of gourmet products;
- large supermarkets and markets;
- pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies.
A price set slightly below the market value, sale through bulletin boards and various Internet sites, social networks, and forums will help to expand the target audience.
Registration of documents and permits
In order to sell products to different enterprises, the activity should be registered as an individual entrepreneur. This will be the best format for doing business at home. From the documents you will need a passport, a receipt for payment of state duty, an application in the form. OKVED code – 01.49.9, taxation system – USN at a rate of 6% of income .
In addition, it is necessary to obtain permits for the operation of a snail farm from Rospotrebnadzor, SES, Fire and Veterinary Services.
What equipment is required
For growing snails at home , an ordinary terrarium is suitable , in which you will need to maintain the required temperature, moisten the walls and keep it clean.
For keeping mollusks in artificial conditions, it is advisable to purchase:
- cuvettes for laying eggs;
- evaporation incubator;
- enclosures and containers for young animals;
- racks with tanks for keeping adults;
- boxes for placing snails for sale.
From additional inventory : air humidifiers, thermal mats, temperature meters, etc. Everything you need, including compound feed (calculated as a kilogram of feed for twenty snails) can be purchased at specialized stores.
Purchase of parent individuals
After preparing the habitat of mollusks, a broodstock is purchased, from which individuals are obtained for further reproduction and sale. It is better to do this with foreign suppliers from the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland or Tunisia, who can offer excellent copies.
You will need to buy at least 600-800 adult clams . The best time for this is from mid-March when they wake up. The breeding season of snails lasts from the end of the month to the first decade of April.
With the advent of summer, the queen bees should be transplanted into a separate enclosure, and the eggs should be placed in an incubator. You can move young snails to adults after six weeks. Since all snails are hermaphrodites, there is no need to understand their gender.
The average wholesale price for one mollusk is 10 rubles . You can also buy grape snails in a pet store, in a bird market or through private advertisements. In this case, the breeder must provide a certificate of quality from a veterinarian and permission from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Station.
How much to invest at the start
It is necessary to invest 50 thousand rubles to organize a small snail business with minimal equipment at home.
| Item of expenses | Amount in rubles |
| Purchase of equipment | 15,000 |
| Purchase of broodstock | 5000 |
| Purchase of feed | 20 000 |
| Paperwork and other expenses | 10,000 |
| Total: | 50,000 |
The value is approximate. The amount may be more or less than the specified amount. Much depends on the desired production volumes, the amount of equipment, the availability of a suitable room or site, and other factors.
How much can you earn
From 750 snails in a year you can get up to 4 tons of snail meat for sale . With a minimum cost of 100 rubles. per kilogram, the income will be 400 thousand rubles, of which, minus costs, 380 thousand – net profit.
This is at first. In the future, it is permissible to reach a price of at least 500 rubles / kg . The most valued are snails weighing from 20 g and a body length of at least 5 cm, which are many times more expensive.
Possible business problems and risks
One should also take into account such a moment as the impact of certain risks on the business.
The main problems of snail farming activities include:
- Slow growth of mollusks that occurs when the required conditions of detention are not observed;
- Extinction of snails due to diseases and extermination by other animals in street breeding: birds, hedgehogs, rodents;
- Difficulties with sales due to not established channels, lack of promotion and insufficient market analysis.
To avoid most of the risks, it is necessary to properly plan and organize the activity, having studied the relevant literature and providing the snails with proper care and maintenance. By finding clients in advance and agreeing on cooperation, you can be sure of a quick profit.
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