the essential
In recent months, the price of butter has skyrocketed to historic levels. This increase, not yet felt everywhere in France, is notably the consequence of the bluetongue epidemic. Explanations.
Are we going to pay more for our chocolatines, croissants and all our pastries at the bakery in the coming weeks? Faced with the dizzying 92% increase in the price of butter in one year, consumers could soon see an increase in the prices of their favorite treats.
On Thursday September 26, the tonne cost 8,180 euros compared to 4,260 euros in 2023. In the month of September alone, the price increased by 15%. Several factors, including the bluetongue epidemic (BCF), which affects both cattle and sheep, explain this historic increase.
A drop in milk production
Indeed, in recent weeks in France, many cow farms have been affected by this epizootic. Cows produce less milk and therefore lead to an increase in the price of butter, an essential element for making pastries. In Ariège, for example, breeders should have lost between “4,000 and 5,000 animals,” the department prefecture estimated on September 20.
Also read:
In Ariège, the peak of bluetongue (BFT) soon to be reached, the prefecture gives the latest figures for the epidemic
“The progression of the type 3 FCO epizootic in the heart of Europe and its potential effects on collection are increasing tension on the markets, such as in Belgium or the Netherlands,” explains Idele (Institut de ‘breeding), in its Mid-September Trends. As a result, collections from exporting countries are declining while global demand continues to grow. And despite the bakers’ desire to stabilize prices, bills continue to rise and the difference in the cost price and the selling price begins to be felt.
An upcoming improvement?
Can we hope for a stabilization of the price of butter in the coming weeks? Initially, the epidemic is approaching its peak and is expected to die out on its own due to the weather and the period. As a reminder, FCO is spread by a biting midge whose peak activity is at the end of summer and decreases in the fall. And the number of farms protected and vaccinated against the disease has never been so high, which gives hope for an improvement soon.
Furthermore, with European butter becoming significantly less competitive on the world market, certain EU countries could now obtain their supplies from other exporters, notably New Zealand, the world leader in the sector. This fall in internal demand in Europe could compensate for the drop in supply and reduce price pressure.
