Agriculture: French cattle population decreases year after year

Beef production in France has fallen by 4% in 2022, a figure that confirms the trend of recent years. As demand continues to grow, imports are increasing.
Is French beef in danger? France’s livestock population is decreasing year after year. In the Vienne region of France, Michel Caillé has reduced his herd by 25 cows because he no longer had enough fodder to feed them, due to the drought that limited grass growth. “It’s better to reduce the herd a bit, buy a bit, and make do with the stocks on the farm,” he says. According to him, many farms are being abandoned because of the lack of profitability and the lack of buyers.

Fewer French cows, more imports
In six years, France has lost 830,000 cows, i.e. 10% less French meat, while consumption has remained stable. As a result, imports into metropolitan France have increased by 23%. To reverse the trend, the industry is calling for better remuneration for farmers. They are demanding that all sales prices be correlated to their production costs, which they believe is the only way to halt the decline in French livestock.