France: the shortage of mustard begins to be felt in turn
The Fallot mustard factory, in Dijon, in December 2021 (illustration photo).
AFP - JEFF PACHOUD
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
After the shortage of sunflower oil, it is mustard that is running out in France.
Some supermarket shelves are no longer restocked properly.
An essential condiment, in vinaigrette or as an accompaniment to many dishes, mustard occupies a place of choice in kitchen cupboards.
Global mustard seed production continues to decline.
In one year, its price has soared by more than 9%.
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Many mustard references have deserted supermarkets, including the famous Dijon mustard.
Supplies are disrupted for several reasons.
First, the drought that hit Canada, the world's largest producer of mustard seeds.
As a result, its production has fallen sharply, from 135,000 tonnes in August 2020 to 99,000 tonnes in 2021. And that of this summer looks even worse, with only 71,000 tonnes.
Russia, which also produces mustard seeds, could have come to fill this gap.
But due to the economic and financial sanctions imposed on her for invading Ukraine, this is no longer possible.
French production remains, but here too it is down.
In six years, it has gone from 12,000 tonnes to 4,000 tonnes, enough to cause the price per tonne to explode from 800 to 1,300 euros.
In the end, it is the consumer who sees the price of his jar of mustard soar.
Mustard is one of the five consumer products whose price has increased the most in a year.
►Also listen: 2022, a complicated year for French mustard
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