Foie gras dates back to Antiquity and is nowadays part of the essentials of French cuisine. Indeed, we all know that foie gras at Christmas arrives on our plates to satisfy our taste buds during the end-of-year festivities! France is nowadays known mainly for its foie gras served during the festive season. Here are a few figures that can tell you more about foie gras production in France.
France: leading foie gras producing country
Everyone knows that France produces the best foie gras in the world. Global foie gras production amounted to 24,000 tonnes in 2015. More than 70% of this production, or 19,200 tonnes, comes from France.
This is a high percentage, which demonstrates the importance of this sector in France. Second place goes to Bulgaria with 10% of world production and Hungary with 9%, much less than French production.
Furthermore, it is important to add that being a major producer is not enough for France to demonstrate the importance of this food. With 4,970 tonnes of Foie gras exports, France is also the leading country for Foie gras consumption and exports.
In which region is more Foie gras produced ?
The Sud-Ouest region is one of the Foie gras producing regions. Indeed, 72% of ducks are raised in this region. The mild climate and the proximity of maize, the staple food of ducks, make it a country conducive to raising fat ducks. The Grand Ouest, namely Brittany and Pays de la Loire, produce 26% of national production. It is therefore the second Foie gras producing region in France.
In 2016, the French Foie gras sector generated over 2 billion euros in turnover and 100,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Foie gras, a delicacy much appreciated by the French
Today, more than 93% of French people consume Foie gras. This testifies to the popularity of Foie gras in French homes. 74% of households buy cooked Foie gras and 26% buy it raw.
French people cook Foie gras in different ways. You can of course enjoy it by spreading it on a slice of bread or a toast. Foie gras also pairs well with onion Confit or mango as part of a more elaborate preparation. And finally, you can also savour Foie gras plain and without any accompaniment.
Foie gras in a few figures
According to a study carried out, here is the consumption of Foie gras among French people :
- 99% consume it with bread ;
- 79% enjoy it with Confit ;
- 60% appreciate it in preparation ;
- 57% savour it plain ;
- 96% of French people consume Foie gras, of which 74% appreciate ready-made Foie gras and 26% consume it raw.
