Apple snail escargot?

Editor:
In the July 22 paper I read about the apple snails in rice and crawfish fields. I was wondering, since the farmers are “suffering revenue reductions of as much as 50 percent,” why don’t they make an attempt to sell the snails and make some of the lost revenue back.
I thought of doing a little research on apple snails and came up with this:
Apple snails are well edible and are often considers a protein rich delicacy. Consuming these snails is, therefore, an interesting option in those areas where thy have become a pest and treat for the rice and taro production.
In such cases, eating these snails has two benefits: 1) collecting the snails is encourage; and 2) the diet of the farmers — especially in third-world countries — is enriched with a protein source.
The nutritional value of apple snails is relatively high. More precisely, the protein content of apple snails can make them a good protein source for humans.
Precautions have to be taken to kill the possible parasites that these snails carry. Cook the snails thoroughly before consumption as this is a simple and effective way to eliminate the risk of infection and never eat raw or poorly cooked snails.

Morris Lanthier