By Kimberly Ramkhalawan
January 17, 2023
A $5 bounty has been placed on the Giant African Snail in Trinidad and Tobago. With thousands of snail species wreaking havoc on Trinidad and Tobago’s farming sector, its Agriculture Ministry has embarked on this as its newest strategy in a move to curb the infestation of the slimy crawlers.
The invasive species has manifested into almost a dime a dozen in the last year, with hundreds appearing in the fields of crops in northern parts of Trinidad since 2020.
Back then, with the pandemic in full swing with lockdown measures in place, the Ministry of Agriculture’s entomologist advised farmers to mix two cups of salt per gallon of water, placing snails in the bucket covered and left for 24 hours, while snail bait or metaldehyde-based chemicals from agricultural shops to deal with larger infestations was also purported.
At the time, farmers were also crushing the critters, something that became part of its campaign to curb the spread of the Giant African Snail.
But unknown to the farmers, using salt along with other poisonous substances in an attempt to kill the critters, as well crushing them, causes the animal to become stressed, which in turn leads them to release eggs into the multiplication of the species.
In 2023, the slimy critter continues to cause the same destruction to crops, mounted on damages sustained from a heavy rainy season and floods. Farmers in Central Trinidad described the bounty as futile in contrast to the rising cost of fuel, food and what they have had to put up with in the rise of fertilizer and agriculture material prices. They are also saying that the ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries failed to consult with the farmers before the bounty was introduced. The animals being nocturnal in nature puts the farmers at risk having to go out and collect them in their farms. Meanwhile, the ministry has advised that collections be placed in clear plastic bags, while handling must be done with care using gloves and bags to hold them, being sure not to use bare hands to collect, as it also poses a threat to human health, as they remain carriers of meningitis. So far one reported incident of a man coming in contact with a giant African snail, while cleaning his yard during the Christmas season, has resulted in him having to undergo emergency surgery.
In the last fiscal budget presented in September, the Ministry of Finance allocated $3M to assist in eradicating the Giant African Snail as part of a Public Sector Investment Programme, PSIP. The latest move in addition to the bounty, the ministry has embarked on a three (3)-week Sensitization and Management Programme, in an effort to apprise the public of the effects of this invasive species and of their role in assisting the Ministry’s efforts in mitigating same. It is expected that the programme, which will air on the nation’s television and radio media from this week and will also be featured on the Ministry’s online and social media platforms in an effort to encourage the public to join the Ministry in its efforts to proactively reduce the GAS populations in communities.
During the period Monday January 16 to February 2, farmers are encouraged to collect the snails with drop off at the Ministry’s designated sites and receive a payment of $5 per kilogramme or 2.2 pounds, while there is no limit to how much can be redeemed per person. Drop off has been set at Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8.30 am to 12 pm.
So far, the ministry has only outlined two sites for redemption, County Caroni office at Southern Main Road, Chase Village in Chaguanas or County St George West office at Farm Road, Curepe. The ministry has however urged those handling the snails, to be sure of using gloves, and plastic bags for pick up, ensuring their bare skin and hands are never in contact with the snail.
The Giant African Snail is known to feed on over 500 different species of plants, while they lay their eggs in the soil and on plant debris, and can produce up to 2,500 eggs annually.