Profitability of a Snail Farm

When someone considers set up a snail farm must take into account the business profitability.

That is why we have prepared a summary with the most important points to take into account before starting..

Snail Farm Investment

The investment to be made will depend on several factors such as the type of farm, its size or existing resources. But we are going to go step by step to achieve maximum profitability from a snail farm..

Closed farms

Basically it is a huge cage within which working with the snail.

The advantages there are less incidence of predators and snail escapes are minimized on rainy days or other days when the snail tends to disperse.

The disadvantage is that this closure implies a metal structure that increases investment and can complicate the necessary planning permits a bit.

We work with an engineer that helps us at this point carrying out report/project as necessary in each case.

Broadly speaking, This farm format represents a average investment (farm 3105 m2) of 9,75 €/m2 only the materials and 14,95 €/m2 turnkey.

open farms

A open air enclosure which is delimited with anti-leak profile and is equipped with corridors and irrigation.

The advantage is simplicity and low investment.

The disadvantages are the incidence of predators and the ease of escapes. For this reason, expected production is lower.

A farm with these characteristics is around the investment of 3,3 €/m2 if the materials are acquired and 5,4 €/m2 If you choose the modality turnkey.

Farm size

The above investment numbers per m2 go up if the farm is smaller and go down if the farm is larger.

You can see an example of the investment necessary for a Open-air snail farm and another example of a indoor farm

Existing Resources

In the data provided land is not included, since its cost is very variable and difficult to include in this equation, so it is assumed that whoever builds a farm has the land with electricity and water.

On the other hand, if certain resources are already available, investment will go down. For example, motor for pumping water, irrigation materials, etc.

Business Plan for Snail Farm

For a farm to be viable it must be well established in three key points: investment, production and marketing.

Investment

As we saw in previous points, it must be adjusted to farm type and size.

It is important that it be contained but that Don't skimp on key equipment for subsequent operation and that does not compromise the profitability of the snail farm.

We will help you control this point so that what has to be spent is spent, no more no less.

Production

One could talk at length about this., we do it in our training.

Basically production has two keys.

• The more produced, the lower the production prices since the resources put into play are more effective and efficient..
  So if we produce at a lower cost we increase the commercial margin even while maintaining the same sales price..

• On the other hand, the higher production, more kilos to sell so income increases.
  Evidently, This equation also holds the other way around., hence the vital importance of producing good.

It is considered a sustainable production 1 kg/m2, a good production 1,5 kg/m2 y very good above 1,75 kg/m2.

The production costs would be, more or less, 3,75 €/kg, 3,5 €/kg and 3,3 € respectively.

Marketing

It is the last link to achieve good profitability of a snail farm.

Marketing can make a harmful production is sustainable or that one good production is ruinous.

Broadly speaking, we could talk about wholesales (between 4 y 5,5 €/kilo) y snail sales retail o end consumer (between 7 y 10 €/kilo).

To avoid entering numbers that are difficult to obtain, we will estimate a average selling price of 5,5 €/kilo.

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Help to set up a Snail Farm

At the local level in the different local development organizations.

At the regional level, managed by the different departments of agriculture and livestock of each community..

In both cases European funds.

This topic helps you set up a snail farm, We explain it very specifically in our Heliciculture Course, but we give you some information:

• Local development organizations: They are funds (generally European) that are destined for local projects, capable of generating employment and boosting the economy. In general, The aid represents a percentage of the investment and is associated with a series of commitments that depend on the body that manages said funds..

• Agriculture and livestock: They are funds destined to promote livestock and agriculture, managed by the autonomous communities. These grants are called every year and are published in the official bulletin of each autonomous community.. Although they depend on the region in which we are located, they have some things in common, like commitments (be a main farmer or rancher, stay in business for five years, register in the registry of livestock farms…) and forms of help. In general, are endowed with a fixed amount (at a loss) that must be justified by invoice or project.

As an example, In this link you can see the regulatory bases and the call for aid for the modernization of agricultural holdings in Castilla y León to 2022. You can also download at this other link the documentation that regulated the granting of aid for incorporation into the agricultural company in 2021. Aid aimed at facilitating access to the agricultural and livestock sector for minors 40 years.

On the other hand, in the Community of Castilla y León (We do not know in detail the reality of other Communities) In recent years, aid has been launched for participation for the first time in quality schemes (organic production is included). They contemplate payment during the first three years of certification expenses and some other things.

The profitability of a snail farm passes, among other things, for taking into account any investment aid. Having one of them that fits perfectly into the project and does not compromise it can greatly facilitate amortization..

Number of Snail Farms in Spain

Before the pandemic, The number was about 700-800. This is very difficult to know because there are farms that are registered in the REGA (registration of livestock farms) that are already closed and some that are “working” without registering.

The trend in recent years is an increase in the number of farms. Inevitably this leads to more cases of success and more cases of failure as well.. The reality, As we have already pointed out in another of our articles, There is a lack of professionalism in the sector..