How to overcome the shortage of foie gras in view of the holidays?
Because of the avian flu, lack of ducklings, the breeders of the Gers force-feed ducks.
Problem, the latter take less weight than the males and are therefore less profitable.
Indeed, successive waves of influenza have been there: 16 million poultry were slaughtered between November 2021 and June 2022. Hatcheries were decimated in the west of France, the main provider of male ducklings.
"This forces us for the first time since we exist to raise and force-feed ducks this year", says Jacques Candelon, boss of the Paysans gersois company and producer of foie gras since 1998.
Usually slaughtered at birth
Until then, females were eliminated at birth and only males were bred.
"We have 80% of ducks over the period in breeding, and it was that or nothing, to be able to run our production tools, we made this choice", explains this 52-year-old farmer.
"We traditionally did not force-feed females at all because there is a great deal of sexual dimorphism: they are much lighter than males and the liver results on force-feeding are much lower and of much lower visual quality", specifies Didier Villate. , a veterinarian who has been working on the Samatan market for forty years.
"The taste remains the same" but the price is skyrocketing, males and females combined: fresh liver trades between 55 and 60 euros per kilo.
It is “15 to 20 euros more” than usual according to Benjamin Constant, president of the Gers association for the promotion of foie gras and poultry farming, who speaks of a “catastrophic year 2022 for the sector”.
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Avian flu: With production halved, there will be no foie gras on all tables at Christmas
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Christmas: The foie gras may be missing
Foie gras
Avian Flu
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Occitania