France's snail farmers fear poor harvest amid heat and drought

The French snail industry faces a challenging season as persistent drought and heatwaves threaten the harvest. Snail farmers report that the lack of cool, moist conditions has been detrimental to their stock.

Anthony Garnier, from the national snail federation FNHF, explained that snails "need coolness and moisture," conditions that have been largely absent this year. This has resulted in farmers finding many "dried-out snails." Additionally, birds and rodents have preyed more heavily on the snails, likely because other food sources are scarce.

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Snails need coolness and moisture. They had neither the one nor the other.

One farmer described the heartbreaking sight of snails dying in their shells as they struggle to move to cooler areas, unable to properly seal themselves against the heat. While the full extent of the damage is yet to be determined, farmers have already begun harvesting earlier than usual due to the adverse weather.

Snails are a culinary staple in France, particularly around Christmas. However, the domestic industry is small, with about 95% of the snails consumed being imported, primarily from Eastern Europe. In 2020, approximately 15,000 tons of processed snails entered the market.

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Because the shell is not yet sufficiently sealed, they dehydrate and we see the animal die in its shell. That hurts the heart.