The French poultry industry is grappling with significant financial losses, reportedly amounting to 40 million euros per month, due to widespread concerns surrounding the H5N1 bird flu virus. These fears have led numerous countries worldwide to halt poultry imports from France, a major European poultry producer, resulting in a substantial 30% decline in sales.
The detection of the H5N1 avian influenza virus on a turkey farm in eastern France triggered trade restrictions on French poultry products from over 40 nations. With approximately 30 confirmed cases of the virus in the region, these restrictions have created a surplus of over 20,000 tons of poultry within France, equivalent to two weeks’ worth of slaughterhouse production. The Poultry Producers Federation reports that the industry was already struggling with reduced poultry consumption, and the import bans have only exacerbated the situation. Sales, which were down by 20% at the start of the year, have now plummeted by nearly 35%.
In response to the outbreak, countries like Canada have implemented stringent testing measures on imported fowl from France. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that tests on eight local farms importing from France yielded negative results. Furthermore, as a precautionary measure, poultry farms in Quebec that imported 20,000 birds from France have been quarantined for 30 days, a standard procedure for animal imports.
The H5N1 virus, a subtype of avian influenza, commonly known as “bird flu,” spreads rapidly among avian populations. Human infections typically occur through direct contact with infected birds. The virus’s proliferation is often attributed to the migration patterns of birds like ducks and swans. It can also spread via domestic poultry used for trade. Chickens are frequently implicated in transmitting the virus to humans, while waterfowl often spread the virus to other birds during migration. Infected birds transmit the virus through bodily fluids, mucus, and fecal matter.
The migratory nature of carrier birds facilitates the virus’s global spread. While past outbreaks were concentrated in Southeast Asia, incidents have also occurred in other countries, including France.