Sharp rise in French poultry sales - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Eurofood, June 21, 2001

French poultry consumption leapt visibly in 2000 as BSE fever took hold of the country, according to a new report from SCEES, the statistical arm of the French agriculture ministry.

The French were actually eating 5% less poultry in the first quarter of 2000 than a year earlier.

But the third and fourth quarters saw year-on-year growth of 5% and 14% respectively, bringing the increase for the year to 2.6%.

BSE SHOCK SCARED FRENCH CONSUMERS

This coincided with French consumers' shock at hearing that the dreaded BSE had sneaked over their borders.

Duck saw the largest gain in popularity (+6%), followed by turkey (+4.5%) and chicken (+1%).

Internal demand gave something of a stimulus to poultry meat output, which progressed by 1% to 2.255 million tonnes (carcass weight equivalent) in 2000.

In terms of production, poultry therefore remained France's most important meat after pork.

EXPORTS FEEL BITE OF WTO DISCIPLINE

A more level international playing field brought down French poultry exports by 3% to 886 000t.

Export restitution cuts demanded by the WTO made French products less competitive in the key market of the Middle East, where Brazilian suppliers saw a chance to muscle in.

Sales to the EU strengthened, on the other hand -- mainly because an Italian poultry industry devastated by avian influenza looked across the Alps to meet its requirements.