16.05.2026 12:02
After spring rains, snails appearing in the Kozan district of Adana have become an additional source of income for rural residents. Citizens with permits go out to health areas at night and collect snails for hours using flashlights. Snails are sold at 35 Turkish lira per kilogram.
In the rural area of Kahveli District, affiliated with Kozan district of Adana, citizens work overtime to collect land snails that emerge in grassy and moist areas after spring rains. The collection efforts, starting in the evening hours, continue until midnight, with citizens searching for snails using lights in their hands in mountainous areas.
SOLD AT 35 TL PER KILO
The snails, which find buyers at a kilogram price of 35 lira, are used for cosmetic, pharmaceutical industry, and tourist consumption purposes. Citizens deliver the collected snails to the merchant.
"SNAIL POPULATION HAS DECREASED"
Mehmet Yiğen, a citizen who stated that the snail population has decreased compared to previous years and therefore the number of collectors has also decreased, said, "We start at 8 PM, and the shift continues until 1-2 AM. We search in grassy areas with lights. They come out especially after rain. They used to be abundant everywhere, but now the population has decreased. Since it is also low this year, the number of people coming is low."
"20 SNAILS WEIGH 1 KILO"
Yiğen, noting that the collected snails are bought by a single merchant in the region, said, "A merchant here buys them, and then they are sent to Mersin. We know they are used for tourist consumption, cosmetics, and medicine production. We do not consume them. Approximately 20 snails weigh 1 kilogram."
"COLLECTING WITHOUT SPECIAL PERMIT IS BANNED"
Yiğen, expressing that snail collecting is subject to certain rules, stated, "Collecting without a special permit is banned. Additionally, they need to be larger than a walnut. We do this entirely for extra income."