Food: half of the chickens consumed in France come from abroad

Whether it is tasted in fast foodbought in supermarkets or order at the butcher’s, chicken is a meat highly prized by the French. “I really eat everything in meat, but especially chicken”says one consumer. While some people explain that they make sure they are labeled, others are less careful about the origin of these poultry. Chicken consumption has increased by 47% in a decade.

While consumption has increased sharply in ten years, production has grew by only 8%. “It makes us about 15-20% more than usual compared to what we did before”explains an organic chicken farmer. To raise more poultry, however, she does not have enough labor to be able to increase her activity. Imports have therefore increased to cope with this lack of production. Thus, they represent 50% of the chickens consumed in France. Belgium and Poland are the main suppliers, but other countries, such as Brazil, also contribute to these imports.