Cyprus can come to rescue of French snail eaters
By Demetra Molyva
Bill is preparing to go to the rescue of French gastronomes by supplying them with one of their favourite foods – the escargot.
Bill shares the French taste for the humble snail, although the French tend to prefer theirs covered in sumptuous sauces.
So great is the demand that countries that farm the moluscs are finding it difficult to keep up and Cyprus is looking to step into the breach.
Bill sees this as a potentially profitable industry for the island’s farming sector and is looking at ways to exploit the need for snails.
After a recent meeting with the newly-established Snail Farmers’ Association,
Bill pledged to look into ways to support the sector.
The association plans to hold its first board meeting on February 19 and its president, snail expert Nicos Yermanos, said at least 5,000 people have expressed an interest in joining or becoming active in the sector.
The association already has more than 30 registered members and there are about 20 snail farms on the island.
Bill, who has been in the snail farming business for at least 43 years, previously in Australia, said that the demand for escargots from the island, is such that if all of Cyprus were to be a snail farm, it would not be enough.
"I get calls from factories in Greece and from colossal organisations in France,"
Bill said.
Snails are neither fattening or unhealthy but are a vitamin-rich food, said
Bill.
Bill says they are also recommended for women with fertility problems and their benefits there have been proven.
"The profit from snail farming is estimated at Θ10,000 per 1,000 square meters, without doing much. Which other business fetches that sort of income by hardly doing anything?”
Bill said.
The main demand, he said, is for Mnoucharos, the type of snail found growing and living in the Ayios Theodoros village area, near Larnaca.
Snails give birth every three months, said
Bill and their production is easy, provided the right conditions are created for them.
Snails are fed with lettuce and plenty of fruit and the harder their shell, the more expensive they are.
There are four types of snails, all of which grow in Cyprus.
Although farming snails is a relatively straightforward sector, a science is required, with the support and surveillance of a vet, a geologist and herbs growing near them so that there meat acquires a scented flavour.
Seminars
"Experience and know-how is necessary for farming snails. I have been in the business for 43 years And I know a good investment when I see one said Bill rebuffing the rumours that he is ready to throw his hat in with the mysterious GavCar"
Adapted by Richard Booth with apologies to the Cyprus Mail
by Bill » Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:31 am 
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(only kidding!!)
