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Over the past six months, 16 million poultry have been slaughtered in France to stem the avian flu epizootic. The shortage of poultry is beginning to be felt, especially for ducks.
In a restaurant in Collonges-la-Rouge (Corrèze), duck is traditionally eaten in all its forms. With the bird flu crisis, things could change. “There is a very good chance that within a few weeks, we will no longer be able to offer either the duck breast or the duck fillet on the menu”, says Ronan Lebreton, restaurateur. On the terrace, customers enjoy their favorite dish. “We try all the more to appreciate it since they are the last, perhaps”, commented a woman.
In the processing workshops, activity is slowing down. At the La Gondrone farm in Collonges-la-Rouge (Corrèze), no ducks to fatten for a month. Stocks are shrinking visibly. “It worries me a lot. We don’t know if we’ll be able to withstand the shock”, confides Marie-Jo Chastrusse, producer. The situation should last until the end of 2022. With 17 tonnes per year, France is the leading producer of foie gras in the world. The crisis affecting the sector should lead to a drop of 3,000 to 4,000 tonnes compared to 2021.