The French poultry industry is currently grappling with significant financial losses, estimated at €40 million per month, due to widespread concerns surrounding the bird flu virus. Import bans imposed by numerous countries, triggered by an H5N1 outbreak on a turkey farm in eastern France, have caused a 30% drop in sales for Europe’s largest poultry sector. Over 40 countries have placed trade restrictions on French poultry products following roughly 30 reported cases of the virus in the affected region. This has resulted in a surplus of 20,000 tons of poultry, equivalent to two weeks of slaughterhouse production, flooding the French domestic market.
The Poultry Producers Federation reports that this import ban has exacerbated existing challenges within the industry, which had already experienced a decline in poultry consumption. Sales figures, which were down 20% at the start of the year, have now plummeted by nearly 35%.
Canada, one of the countries that implemented restrictions, tested poultry imported from eight French farms. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, all tests returned negative results. Following standard animal import protocols, several poultry farms in Quebec that imported 20,000 birds from France have been quarantined for 30 days.
The H5N1 virus, a subtype of avian influenza, commonly known as “bird flu,” spreads easily among avian populations. Human infections are typically linked to direct contact with infected birds. Migratory birds, such as ducks and swans, play a significant role in the virus’s proliferation, carrying it across borders. Domestic poultry, especially chickens, can also transmit the virus to humans. Waterfowl often spread the virus to other birds during their migratory periods. Infected birds transmit the virus through bodily fluids, mucus, and fecal matter.
The migratory nature of the virus’s carriers facilitates its global spread. While past outbreaks have been concentrated in Southeast Asia, numerous countries, including France, have experienced bird flu outbreaks.