At the meeting of European ministers at the beginning of the month the French met sector expressed its concerns over the rising losses because of the export ban.

The representative of INAPORC SNIV-SNCP, Thierry Meyer, strongly stressed the extent of the damage the embargo causing to the balance of the price of the French and European pork market.

The meeting heard that the pork sector was facing a double penalty – the sanitary and health issues over ASF and also the collective ban affecting the US, Canada, Australia and Norway.

The French meat industry body SNIV-SNCP said that the priority for the French and European pig meat industry was to find a way out of the sanitary ban.

This could possible come through a resumption of sales of offal and fat.

The meat organisation is also seeking the establishment of private storage for pork to support the market and a boost to the sector’s competitiveness in the Asian markets of China. South Korea, Japan, Philippines and Taiwan.

SNIV-SNCP said that during the meeting many sectors backed the French food sector in moves to implement country of origin labelling on meat and processed products.

The meat industry group has also called for a simplification of the administrative procedures, which it says are too heavy and are penalising France.

Now, the French Agriculture Minister, Le Foll, is to set up a meeting to discuss the crisis in the industry and look at ways to ease pig meat exports.

SNIV-SNCP said that the Russian authorities have estimated that the impact of the embargo could eventually cost the French food industry €1 billion.