Oct 6, 2009

"Snails Do Not Moo"


The economy in Central and East Europe may have been hit hard over the last year, but one export industry is booming in Bulgaria: snails!

As the rest of Bulgaria’s agricultural production withers on the vine, the country’s snail farmers are in high cotton. Turns out, EU membership has been a godsend for Bulgaria’s snail business, particularly in France where demand for the tasty beasts still runs high. Standing near his herd of 1 million baby snails, one Bulgarian farmer offered this classic line:

"Indeed, you cannot tell...there is a farm here. But snails do not moo."

It also might be time to bust out the escargot forks. By the end of this year, Bulgaria will have exported 900 tons of snails and “snail products” -- roughly equivalent to the weight of two fully-loaded 747s.

…ok, two very slow-moving 747s.

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