Snail farming is a profitable business that most people are not aware of. So, you might want to explore this opportunity and make some money. Snail farming has a sizable market opportunity in Ghana and throughout Africa, but it is grossly undervalued.
When seeking to grow snails in Ghana, there are many options and strategies for doing so. The step involved in snail farming includes Choosing an Appropriate Farm Site, Determining which snail species to farm, preparing your farmland, getting your snail species, snail feeding, and harvesting.
This article explores the basic principles of starting a snail farm and provides step-by-step instructions for setting up your own.
[Beginners Guide] How To Start Snail Farming In Ghana
Going straightway, the following are the five primary steps you should take to start a profitable snail farming business in Ghana.
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Step 1: Choose an Appropriate Farm Site
If you want to start a snail farm, it is best to use a single snail specie. Since you are planning to rear your snails in Ghana, the Achatina snail specie is the best snail species to be farmed in the region known for its hot climates such as Ghana.
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Step 2: Get your snails Species
To obtain high-quality snails, go to a snail market, or snail farmers. Make sure to choose healthy snails. Ensure you get healthy, fully grown snails that will lay eggs and help populate your farm.
Step 3: Determine which snail Species to Farm
A farm site is required to begin snail farming, and the location of your snail farm is critical to the success of your snail farming business. The size of the snail farm should be determined by the number of snails to be raised.
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Given the high cost of farmland, it is always better to start small. If you have a large yard, on the other hand, you can begin at the back. But, if you can afford a farm site, ensure you choose a better farm.
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A good snail farm location should be calm, pollution-free, and away from busy areas.
Furthermore, the farm site should be free of snail predators and easily accessible from major roads to facilitate the transportation of farm products when they are ready for sale.
Step 4: Prepare your Farmland
You can use a pen house that is spacious and accessible, with a soil depth of 10 inches and trees surrounding it for aeration. You should make sure to build escape-proof housing to keep your snails from escaping.
Step 5: Snail Stocking
After you’ve built adequate housing and farmland for the snails, it’s time to stock them. Importantly, your snail housing must have sufficient space for them.
Step 6: Feeding
Snails are vegetarians who consume only plant feeds. You can serve them a wide range of foods such as cabbage, cucumber, banana, eggplant, pear, mango, tomato, paw-paw, okra leaves, and lettuce. However, snails can be fed pineapple, banana, or pawpaw.
Importantly, snail food should contain calcium to aid in the formation of the shell.
Step 7: Snail Harvesting
It is best to harvest your snails at maturity and the best time to harvest is at night when they can be easily located compared to daytime when they are hidden. Also, don’t harvest all the snails at once, you have to live others for breeding purposes.
Here Is A Video Guide On How You Can Start Snailing Farming Business In Ghana:
How Much Will It Cost To Start A Snail Farm?
You can start a snail farming business with as little as GHc1000, depending on the size of your snail farm.
How Much Money Can You Make From Snail Farming In Ghana?
In snail farming in Ghana, you can earn GH15,000 twice a year. It is important to note that you can earn exactly, less than, or more than the stated amount.
What Do I Need To Start A Snail Farm?
To get started with snail farming, you’ll need items such as free-range pens, moveable pens, mini paddock pens, trench pens, hatch boxes, mosquito nets, and concrete blocks. Also, you will need sprinklers and humidifiers may also be required for climate control.
The materials required, however, are determined by the type of snail farming system used.
Is Snail Farming A Good Business In Ghana?
Snail farming in Ghana is considered a profitable business that can be started with little financial resources. Nonetheless, it is one of the most ignored animal rearing businesses in this country Ghana, and other African Countries.
How Many Months Does It Take A Snail To Mature?
Snails typically reach maturity between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years. Some mature sooner or later depending on whether their external environment is favorable or unfavorable to their development.
What Food Makes Snails Grow Faster?
Protein and calcium-rich foods promote snail growth. Moringa, for example, is well-known for its medicinal properties as well as its high protein content. Fresh Moringa leaves have the same amount of protein as an egg; dry moringa leaves have four times the amount.
How Much Is Snail Sold In Ghana?
Snails are extremely expensive in some local markets, with four pieces currently selling for GH80-100.
How Much Do I Need To Start A Snail Farm In Ghana?
You need an estimate of GHc1000 to begin a snail farm. However, the size of the snail farm you intend to start can increase or decrease the cost more than what is stated.
How Do I Sell My Snails In Ghana?
You can sell your mature snails by marketing them to potential buyers in the market, online sales, supermarkets, and food stores.
How Much Do Snails Sell For?
Raw, matured snails are sold between GH5 and GH50 in Ghana. Howbeit, the price usually depends on the size.
How Much Can I Make From Snail Farming?
You can earn between GHC70000 to GHC100,000 monthly from snail farming. The price can be higher than the stated amount depending on the yield you can sell.
How Do You Rare Snails At Home?
Snail rearing is not as tedious as it sounds. Interestingly, snails can be reared at home. If you want to rear snails from home, follow the simple steps outlined below:
Step 1: Build a snail house (pen)
Step 2: Purchase the appropriate snail specie
Step 3: Feed the snails
Step 4: Take care of your Snail: clean their homes, and monitor their health.
Step 4: Harvest when they are mature.
What Does A Snail Feed On?
The common foods eaten by snails include vegetables of all types, the fruit of every kind, grains, grasses and foliage, bark from a tree, and flowers.
What Do Baby Snails Eat?
Baby snails are very easy to feed because they do not require any special feed or diet and rely solely on green leaves.
How Do You Treat The Soil For Snail Farming?
There are different methods to treat the soil for snail farming. They are:
- Soil heating. This can be done by sun drying, soil cooking, and or use of hot water.
- Use of organic pesticides. The best method is the use of neem treatment.
Where Can I Sell A Snail?
You can sell snails in the market, online sales, supermarkets, and food stores.
How Long Does It Take To Train A Snail?
Snails for home consumption take about six months to grow, whereas those sold at markets take about eight months to reach the desired size of about 25-30 cm in length.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Snail Farming?
Some of the major disadvantages of snail rearing include climate change, slow growth process, and possibly cultural restriction.
How Much Is A Snail A Kg?
The cost of a snail per Kg depends on the type and size of snail you intend to buy. It is best to visit a snail farmer to get accurate pricing as of this time.
Does Ghana Export Snails?
Yes, Ghana exports snails but not as much as anticipated compared to other countries such as Morocco known to be one of the leading snail exporting countries in the world.
Are snail Farms Profitable?
Snail farming is a profitable business that you can start on your own and sell to consumers. If done right, you are sure to earn decent money through the business.
How To Start Snail Farming In Ghana PDF
Snail farming is a lucrative business. The supply of snails will keep on increasing as the demand increases and people are also interested in eating them. There are many ways you can earn money from snail farming in Ghana.
If you want to start snail farming, here are snail farming in Ghana PDF materials that you can read through to acquire comprehensive knowledge of the trade.
How Profitable Is Snail Farming In Ghana
Snail farming is a profitable venture in Ghana. Snail Farming in Ghana is a business opportunity that has been fast gaining popularity. This business opportunity offers people a chance to make money while they enjoy their free time by farming snails.
How To Start Snail Farming At Home
To start snail farming at home, you have to build a snail house (pen), purchase the appropriate snail specie, feed the snail, take care of your snail, and harvest when they are mature.
List Of Snail Farmers In Ghana
There are numerous snail farmers in Ghana. Find below some of the popular snail farmers in the country.
- Afia Adjei.
- Dorcas Bruce.
- Maa Akosua Assem.
- Mr. Alex Tawiah.
- Mr. Eric Agbevor.
- Mr. Micheal Djam.
- Mrs. Philomina Alovor.
- Yaa Asantewaa Kokui.
Types Of Snails In Ghana
There are three popular types of snails in Ghana. They are:
- Achatina Fulica
- Achatina Marginata
- Achatina Achatina
Conclusion
Snail farming in Ghana is a low-risk business with low or no startup and operating costs. You can even set up your snail farm outside your private home to shop for farmland prices. We advise that you follow the steps in this discourse to get the best of snail farming.
Fascinating, splendid and accurate information Bravo. From Sampson Brewu, [email protected]
Thanks