February 20, 2006

French poultry exports down by one third

France, the world's fourth largest poultry exporter, has lost about a third of its trade over bird flu fears, industry officials say.

French poultry producers have been especially hard hit in the Middle East, its third biggest market after Russia and Japan. Sales in the Middle East are down 20 to 30 percent, according to Doux, a poultry company that nearly accounts for all French poultry exports.

Last year the Middle East absorbed nearly a quarter of the country's poultry exports.

Nearly 40 percent of the poultry in France is exported, according to Andre Le Peule of the Federation of Poultry Industries (FIA). Net profits reached 536 million euros (US$641 million) last year, down 134 million euros (US$160 million) from 2004, according to FIA.

Poultry growers are lobbying the French government and the European Commission in Brussels for aid measures to provide compensation to farmers.

Meanwhile the news that a wild duck has just been tested positive to the bird-flu virus will surely exacerbate the already dire situation French poultry exporters is facing.

A 2-mile safety zone has been established around the spot where the dead duck was found and the surrounding countryside has been put under surveillance, the French Ministry of Health said.

Within the European Union, the H5N1 virus also has been detected in the member states of Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy and Slovenia. Other European countries where the virus has been found include Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Ukraine and Russia.