"We are defending France's food sovereignty," the foie gras sector proudly declared. Duck farmers and processors expressed satisfaction with the trade balance results for 2025, which showed a surplus of €35.6 million, up by €10 million, according to figures released Monday, March 30, by the French interbranch committee for foie gras ducks and geese (CIFOG).
Foie gras on display at the Paillet duck farm in Labarthète, southern France, October 2, 2023. VALENTINE CHAPUIS/AFP
This marked a return to better fortunes after the trade balance slipped into the red in 2023, following a severe outbreak of avian influenza. In 2025, the highly pathogenic virus reappeared in several European countries, including France. But even though the virus has continued to circulate, the impact has been less severe. As of March 20, the agriculture ministry had identified 121 outbreaks since the first case was detected on October 11, 2025. "The vaccination strategy we adopted has proven effective," said Fabien Chevalier, president of CIFOG.
French foie gras production rebounded in 2025, rising to 16,827 metric tons. That compares to nearly 8,000 metric tons in 2022, a historic low due to mass depopulation of contaminated farms. After this epidemic tsunami, the government decided to make vaccination against avian flu mandatory for all ducks raised in France as of October 2023. This measure has since curbed the spread of the virus.
