French producers also feeling pinch
French producers also feeling pinch
French producers are
suffering just as much as
their UK counterparts as
James Garner found out at
Frances biggest agriculture
show last week
FRENCH sheep numbers are declining and prices are under pressure from cheap imports and a lack of aid from Brussels.
Speaking to farmers weekly at the Salon International de lAgriculture (SIA), the general secretary of Federation Nationale Ovine (FNO), Denis Grosjean said his members can no longer survive on sheep breeding and believe there is a lack of sympathy for producers in Brussels.
Confirming the malaise, one French sheep producer said he could not produce lambs for 30Fr/kg deadweight (£2.94/kg). Indeed he couldnt believe that British producers could make a living selling lambs at £2/kg deadweight.
Mr Grosjean has no axe to grind with his British counterparts, preferring to blame New Zealand lamb imports as the French sheep industrys main antagonist.
"We are very unhappy about chilled lamb imports, and have been for some time." Chilled lamb is the real problem because French customers find it hard to differentiate between chilled and fresh meat, he said.
"This means that most New Zealand lamb imports are targeted when French lamb is in most demand – Easter and Christmas – which forces our price down. If the price doesnt go up at Easter, then it never will," he said.
Accordingly, much as the UK pig industry has done, his organisation is keen to galvanise more financial support from Brussels. "We feel we are the poor relation of the livestock sector."
The FNOs main objective is reforming the stabiliser, which takes 7% off basic ewe premium, despite EU production being in decline. Its purpose is no longer served and limits premium payments and it should be abolished, said Mr Grosjean.
The French may also seek monetary support from the EU to help them advertise lamb. This will have to be match funded by the government or Interbev, said vice-chairman of Interbev, Emmanuel Coste.
He believes that this move in France is also being considered in other EU countries, such as the UK, to bolster lamb consumption.
French sheep producers are under pressure, and are unhappy about chilled lamb imports, says Denis Grosjean.