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After oil and mustard, foie gras could be rare on supermarket shelves, especially in anticipation of the end of year celebrations. With the bird flu crisis, professionals are already claiming that a third of production will be missing at Christmas.
Foie gras could become rare for the end-of-year celebrations: it should be missing up to 40%. Some customers anticipate their purchase. “It’s true that we are a little concerned, when we hear that there will be a lack of foie gras at Christmas, we say to ourselves that it is better to do our little shopping before”, says a woman. Avian flu has hit the entire industry. 20 million ducks and poultry have been culled preventively.
The Pays de la Loire, where three-quarters of the ducklings are born, are struggling to deliver to producers. Since June, Olivier Delpy’s operations have been idling. “We bring in 450 ducklings a week, instead of 2,000”, he notes. With fewer ducks and rising production costs, prices could rise in stores. “If again, an influenza crisis returns in 2023 with the same violence, I am afraid that we will not be able to recover from it”, explains Éric Dumas, president of the Interprofessional committee of palmipeds with foie gras (CIFOG). Breeders hope for a vaccine in 2023, so that they no longer have to slaughter ducks.