up to 40% less foie gras for Christmas

the liver bold could be rare for the end of year celebrations: it should miss up to 40%. Some customers anticipate their purchase. “It’s true that we are a bit concerned when we hear that there is going to be a lack of liver bold 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 for palmipeds in liver bold (CIFOG). Breeders hope for a vaccine in 2023, so that they no longer have to slaughter ducks.