The first snail breeding farm was established in Armenia

Vahe, a director by profession, has founded a snail breeding farm in Byurakan for the snails imported from Europe. It is the first in Armenia; special conditions were created for the snails, Acba bank said in a press release.

Vahe discovered the sphere by accident, when he started researching the conditions of breeding snails in Armenia at one of his friends’ request.

First, he failed; at the beginning Vahe was examining the Armenian mountain snails that were not to be bred. Finally, following his wife’s advice, he went to Greece, participated in trainings and learned the specifics, methods and ways of snail breeding.

Currently, Vahe’s farm provides all the necessary conditions foe snails – healthy food, necessary humidity… Everything is adapted for two types of European snails, which live in the farm.

The snail farm is one of the beneficiaries of “Agricultutral tourism development program” organized by Acba bank and German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU). Thanks to the provided grant, Vahe was able to build a stand in the farm to welcome guests and make delicacies.

“Surprisingly for me, I saw that snail breeding is a very serious agricultural direction which is popular in Europe and has reached Latin America. This is a direction of European agriculture and is considered a farm for lazy people; there is not much to do, your daily rhythm becomes “snail-like” slow, through out and calm. I consider it as small cattle breeding farming, the smallest one. The stand helped to bring me income. We welcome guests, organize snail cooking master classes, tastings, etc. The program by Acba Federation and NABU is really important for me. If there were no such thing, I would have income after the farm became bigger. The program helped me keep the farm’, notes Vahe Hakhverdyan.

Vahe’s snail farm is a unique tourist direction, also in the region. 

Acba Federation is the only significant participant of Acba Bank with 83.8 percent stake in the bank's shares. Thanks to its participation in Acba Bank, Acba Federation contributes to the development of agriculture, small and medium businesses in rural areas, development of communities, revitalization and development of the business environment in rural areas and communities, and the growth of the well-being of every person carrying out business activities in these areas.

More details in the video․