Snail has been a nuisance to farmers in Thailand for years, but this mollusk has recently become an important source of income, having turned into a precious "gold" trade.
According to the newspaper "The Guardian" British, the global cosmetics factories are increasingly demanding the secretion of snails.
These secretions, known as "snail milk", are very useful in body care, they help to delay signs of aging, and give the skin a remarkable freshness.
The secretion of the snail is mucus, and the price of the substance is higher than gold, and its global trade is estimated to be $ 314 million worldwide.
In Nakhon Nayok, two hours away from Thailand's capital, there are currently more than 80 farms dedicated to snails.
Patenisiri Tangkiyu, a teacher, originally said she started working in this field by purchasing a marmalade from rice farmers who were trying to get rid of the snail.
She pays one dollar per kilogram, then extracts the secretions that the cosmetic companies are looking for.
Farmers were throwing the snail on the road or in rivers, but they were making money by selling it, she said.
The workers in this agriculture say that they do not cause any harm or torture to the animal, because it is done by pouring water on the mollusk that secrete, automatically, and therefore, it is not being killed.
When this mucus enters the facial mask, the price of the product sometimes reaches $ 300.
Snail has been a nuisance to farmers in Thailand for years, but this mollusk has recently become an important source of income, having turned into a precious "gold" trade.