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Why the price of meat in France could be about to go up

The Local France
The Local France - [email protected]
Why the price of meat in France could be about to go up
Photo: AFP

You might soon find yourself forking out more for your Charolais steak and your Toulouse sausages. Here's why.

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It's no secret that summer 2018 in France was hot and dry. 
 
And while it might not be immediately clear what that has to do with the price of meat going up, if you listen to the appeals of French farmers it has everything to do with it. 
 
Farmers cooperatives in France have been urging food manufacturers and distributors to raise how much they pay livestock farmers for their meat to take into account the soaring costs of animal feed as a result of the drought seen over the summer. 
 
It turns out that French livestock farmers are struggling due to the increase cost of the grains they use to feed their animals because harvests in France and northern Europe have been badly hit by the dry weather. 
 
And the numbers do seem startling. 
 
According to French farmers' cooperative Coop de France, the price of wheat went up by 35.5 percent between August 2017 and August 2018, rapeseed has gone up 30 percent in the same time and maize by 14.2 percent -- all of which are ingredients for animal feed.  
 
"These increases lead to increased production costs for animal products, particularly in the pig, rabbit and poultry sectors," explains Coop de France.
 
As a result, Coop de France is asking producers and distributors in the meat industry to take into account the increase in production costs when it comes to the selling price.
 
The farmers' cooperative believe their costs may rise even further towards the end of the year, so you can expect your Christmas turkey to be a little pricier this year.
 
 
 

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