French feed production down 8% in 10 years
Last year, France had 287 factories producing compound animal feed, roughly the same number as 10 years earlier. These factories belong to 187 different companies, slightly fewer than in 2014, according to figures from the Syndicat National de l’Industrie de la Nutrition Animale (SNIA).
These factories currently produce an average of 68,000 tonnes of feed per year, which is 10,000 tonnes less than 10 years ago. Over that decade, total compound feed production in the country fell from just over 21 million tonnes to 19.4 million tonnes last year, a decline of almost 8%. Nevertheless, there appears to be some recovery, as the amount produced last year was 1.7% higher than in 2023.
The production capacity of 220 of the 287 factories remains below 100,000 tonnes per annum, with 29 of those producing no more than 5,000 tonnes annually. At the other end of the spectrum, 48 factories produce between 100,000 and 200,000 tonnes, while a further 19 exceed 200,000 tonnes per year. “This picture shows the great diversity in capacity, which is adjusted to the territories where the factories are located,” SNIA said.
Poultry feed dominates
A breakdown of the production figures shows that poultry feed accounted for the largest share last year, with just over 8 million tonnes, of which more than 3.2 million tonnes were for chicken. Within this category, the quantity of feed for ducks, used in the foie gras industry, was almost 25% higher at 700,000 tonnes, thanks to the sector’s recovery following severe outbreaks of avian influenza.
“Despite relative stability over the past 10 years, the production of feed for poultry and pigs has declined markedly since 2021, due to the avian influenza epidemics as well as a decline in herd sizes,” SNIA commented.
Cattle feed up
Furthermore, almost 5.5 million tonnes of feed were supplied to cattle, an increase of 2.3%. After a decline in 2016 and 2017 due to the abolition of the EU milk quota, cattle feed production has steadily progressed in recent years, with 2024 production close to the 2015 level. Pig feed production amounted to 4.25 million tonnes, down 1.4% year over year, reflecting the steady decline of the pig herd in France. The feed industry also supplied 193,000 tonnes to rabbit producers and 235,000 tonnes to horse establishments.
SNIA’s figures finally show that only 3% of total feed production was organic. After peaking in 2021, this type of feed has steadily declined, in parallel with the continuously shrinking organic farming sector in the country.
