Supported for two years by strong demand from China affected by African swine fever, French pork prices have fallen in recent weeks to around 1.23 euros per kilo.
That is a 25% drop in two years, unwelcome when the some 10,000 pig farms in France are currently facing a surge in their production costs.
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According to Inaporc, the interprofessional organization for this meat the most consumed in France with 32 kg per year and per capita, the hardest blow comes from the soaring prices of feed for their animals (wheat, corn, cakes of soya and rapeseed ...), the prices of which have soared in one year.
This item, which weighs 75% of the costs of breeders, is now approaching 300 euros per tonne, against 240 euros in January 2020.
A risk
This scissor effect weighs heavily on the operating accounts of French producers, who, after two years of respite, lost in November between 25 and 30 euros on each pig sold. According to François Valy, vice-president of Inaporc, next March at this rate, an average farm will have lost at least 100,000 euros.
"It lacks 30 to 35 cts per kilo to even achieve balance,
" he explains.
For professionals in the sector, the situation poses a risk to the French industry and its herd of 23 million animals.
While the slowdown in Chinese demand is still a reality, professionals do not dare to give an exit horizon from the crisis, even if the sector is hoping for a recovery in Chinese demand next year.
"The loads for the Chinese New Year, which have just ended, do not yet show any notable improvement
,
"
judges Thierry Meyer, the new president of Inaporc.