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As a result, the foie gras inter-professional association (Cifog) observes a slight erosion in the average price, around 5 to 6%, which mainly concerns the “mixed product”. The whole foie gras remains stable. “It is perhaps less than 1 to 2% compared to last year, due to promotional operations,” specifies the general director of Cifog Marie-Pierre Pé.
Six crises in seven years
“It’s the end of the shortage of raw materials, which has finally allowed us to look forward to this season more calmly,” she welcomes. For the record, in ten years the profession has suffered six major waves of animal diseases, generating unprecedented crawl spaces. The last major crisis in 2021 and 2022 even affected duckling producing farms in Pays de Loire, preventing the relaunch of flocks in the South-West.
“We then lost our ability to repopulate the farms to be able to restart,” summarizes the representative who also recalls the consequences of confinements due to Covid on the side of orders from restaurateurs.
More peaceful conditions
Since 2023, the profession can once again meet the demand of suppliers and consumers, by giving priority to semi-cooked whole foie gras preparations, “it is the most significant category on the market, a product considered the noblest and logically the most expensive per kilo”
“We were also able to replenish stocks of canned goods and other entry-level preparations such as blocks of foie gras, which are products whose price per kilo is lower,” specifies the representative of the sector.
The rise in foie gras prices was mainly due to avian influenza.
Ascension Torrent
The very recent erosion of prices should not, however, erase the continuous increases in recent years. Just ten years ago, it was in fact still possible to find a kilo of whole foie gras for 30 euros on the Moutète gras market in Orthez! Since then, the prices of cereals, energy, wages, etc. have caused galloping inflation which has affected all sectors.
Find quality feeders
“For our Maison Montfort and Rougié brands, we are seeing price stability on the market for fresh foie gras, and a slight drop in prices for other products,” confirms Euralis. “And as we enter the festive period, the consumption of foie gras is increasing, with the return of a satisfactory product offer post-bird flu,” specifies the agricultural cooperative, one of whose observation posts is the store factory in Lescar.
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Another reference in Béarn also reports prices that are now stable. “But we are still missing almost half of our production,” worries Pierre Biraben. Many feeders on the verge of retirement, too affected by the elimination of their ducks and the burden of biosecurity investments, have thrown in the towel after ten years of crisis,” he notes.
“And if our consumers in the South-West have remained loyal, we now need to regain market share on a larger scale and above all find quality feeding breeders. It's a real job! »
A return of seasonality
“This year described as a transition” is in any case reassuring. On the Oloron side, restaurateurs were able to resume their habits at Ferme Saint-Grat. With two employees and his wife, François Camsusou is experiencing an intense end of the year.
“After a catastrophic spring,” he moderates. Bad weather, coupled with electoral uncertainties, had, according to this producer, limited orders from restaurateurs. As for the Olympic Games effect, it was more reflected in TV evenings than in tastings on restaurant terraces.
“Now, our deliveries are well distributed, but we feel a return to seasonality in consumption, a bit like in the past.”
In Lasseubetat, Jean-Marc Hondet's farm has specialized in duck since the 1980s. With his son, this producer sells directly from the farm or from the Béarnais stand at Les Halles de Pau. A small producer affiliated with the Peasant Confederation, he says he is reassured by the new habits of consumers who, according to him, have remained attached to the short circuit
“Our customers appreciate our sustainable production method, our efforts for organic farming, our transparency, a guarantee of quality. » An optimistic speech after very difficult years for the local economy, the South-West sector representing 80% of duck Foie Gras volumes in France.
A winter without crises?
Everyone is now crossing their fingers that avian flu remains occasional with isolated cases. Despite the level of risk noted in November, the latest downward migratory flows could spare the profession, in addition to the effects of vaccination.
And for those most addicted to foie gras who encounter a shortage of raw products, Marie-Pierre Pé has a little tip: use frozen foods. “These are products developed to serve great chefs abroad. For my part, I think it's a truly fabulous product, because you can buy this way outside of the holiday price surge. »
A love story that does not know the crisis in the South-West
“Foie gras is a bit like our champagne. There is always a great love story with our regulars,” observes Pierre Biraben. Despite the crisis due to animal diseases, this house which is a reference in Béarn has not observed a drop in purchases in local shops.
“The evolution of the consumption curve is completely linked, not to consumer desire, but to the shortage of supply,” recalls Marie-Pierre Pé, general director of the fois gras inter-professional organization. “It is truly the lack of ducklings in 2022 which has created an unprecedented air hole in the supply. This forced us to move away from supermarket shelves and restaurant menus. But according to surveys, we still have 92% of French people who say they eat foie gras, duck breast or confit. Thus, consumption in value terms has remained stable due to inflation,” she says with satisfaction.
According to the very latest observations from Cifog, from January to October, consumption trends have in fact increased by + 5% in volume and 17% in value, compared to the same period in 2023. The sector can even boast of display a surge in duck breast, with + 134% in volume over the same period and + 100% in value, prices having become more reasonable again after reaching up to 25 euros on kilo. The stability of future production could allow a reconquest of export markets.
