Andalusia imported 5,000 tons of snails from Morocco in 2023, valued at 3.8 million euros, according to the Agriculture Department reported to Europa Press. In the first two months of 2024, the region purchased this product from the North African country for 248 thousand euros, marking an 88% increase compared with January–February of the previous year. These figures position Morocco as a significant market for Andalusian snail producers and contrast with Spain’s nationwide farm production, which last year reached 605,500 kilograms, as reported by the National Association of Breeding and Feeding Snails (Ancec). Another indicator highlighting Moroccan imports is the 2020 national consumption estimate of 18,800 tons, though a notable growth trend had already begun the year before.
As of April of this year, the Junta de Andalucía details that the territory hosts 211 registered snail farms. Seville leads in farm numbers with 54, followed by Córdoba (42), Malaga (28), Granada (27), Huelva and Almería (19 each), Cádiz (17), and Jaén (five). The regional agricultural ministry does not rule out that some farms may have closed during this period.
It is important to consider, based on a 2020 study by the Ministry of Agriculture, the difficulty the administration faces in counting how many registered snail farms are truly active. The study found that only about one third of Andalusian farms were functioning at the time, with an additional one hundred farms at the national level whose activity could not be determined. To improve data representativeness, the Ministry turned to Ancec for more accurate insights.
According to José Antonio Marcelo, executive secretary of the Snail Breeding Interprofessional Organization, the administration finds it hard to determine the number of active farms for several reasons. Some operators participate in subsidy programs, such as youth incorporation or farm improvement schemes, and they must keep lands active for at least five years after receiving aid. If managers report that their farms are not in operation, they risk losing the subsidy.
Additionally, Marcelo notes that although farm owners must deregister inactive farms in the Livestock Farm Registry (REGA), enforcement does not reach all owners who fail to comply. He cites bureaucratic hurdles in registration and deregistration as a barrier, and points out gaps in farm activity regulation within snail production.
Another factor adding uncertainty, reported to Europa Press sources, is the possibility that some farms are not registered yet remain active.
In any case, it is worth noting that Andalusian farm snails do not strongly permeate the local consumer market, with only about 30% of output distributed within Andalusia, based on Ancec estimates from 2020. The remaining production tends to flow to other destinations where snail consumption is higher, particularly in northern regions of Spain.
Differences Between Farmed and Wild Snails
Manuel Felipe López, a snail industry entrepreneur through his company Caracoles Sevilla, explains that the imported Moroccan variety, known as blanquillo, has broad support in several parts of Andalusia. He believes it is of higher quality than the traditional farmed snail. López argues that the local snail and blanquillo populations have declined over the past six decades, and restrictive health measures on snail trade encourage imports. He states that Moroccan blanquillo is of good quality and essentially comparable to its Spanish counterpart for several reasons.
Regarding farmed snails, López notes that the Helix aspersa species cultivated on farms does not compete with blanquillo in the Seville area. He recalls owning a snail farm that had to close because there was no demand for its products, which underscores a price gap: blanquillo tends to be cheaper. He also attributes high temperatures in some seasons to the challenges of farmed snail production.
Marcelo emphasizes that blanquillo does not carry commercial value to the same extent as farmed snails, while the farmed variety offers greater traceability and perceived quality. He adds that farmed snails have about 30% more muscle mass and that knowing the age of farmed snails helps ensure a fresher, tastier product.
Finally, the central difference lies in consumer perception: farmed snails are generally valued for better consistency and reliability, while wild Moroccan snails rely more on import quality and broader market acceptance.