French foie gras farmers angry as bird flu grips region

NOGARO, France - The mood among the 300 foie gras producers packed into a town hall in Southwest France last week was far from festive, having been forced into a huge cull of birds caused by a second bird flu outbreak in as many years at a loss of millions of euros.

"We have to put this fire out before we can even think about producing again," duck farmer Christophe Barrailh told them.

The head of the foie gras producers' group Cifog was speaking to farmers in Nogaro in the Gers, the French region by far the worst affected by the fast-spreading virus.

A similar outbreak a year ago sent foie gras output plunging 25 percent. That caused a 10 percent jump in retail prices of the delicacy that is produced by force-feeding poultry to enlarge their livers, a practice criticised by animal rights campaigners who see the methods as cruel.

Last year's price rise was not enough to spare the pain of duck farmers. Most are still waiting to receive 30 percent of the compensation promised them after the 2015/16 season's outbreak caused them to halt rearing for several months.

Prices will now have to increase again, Cifog said.

And with no date set for output to resume after this year's cull, several farmers - some wearing yellow shirts marked "angry ducks" - reacted loudly during the meeting.

"If we can't restart, how are we going to eat?," one asked.

French Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll sought to reassure farmers last week, saying all culls would be compensated and that missing aid from last year, essentially from the European Union, would eventually be paid.

France, which has the largest poultry flock in the EU, reported 152 outbreaks of the H5N8 type of bird flu in farms by Jan 19. Of these, 72 were in the Gers.

The H5N8 virus has been spreading across Europe since late last year, with more than 20 countries recording cases. The strain has never been found in humans and is different from ones found in Asia, notably H7N9, which has killed more than 20 people in China.