Main Producers
Today, France is by far the largest producer and consumer of foie gras, though it is produced and consumed worldwide, particularly in other European nations, the United States, and China.
| Country | Production (tons, 2005) | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| France | 18,450 | 78.5% |
| Hungary | 1,920 | 8.2% |
| Bulgaria | 1,500 | 6.4% |
| United States | 340 (2003) | 1.4% |
| Canada | 200 (2005) | 0.9% |
| China | 150 | 0.6% |
| Others | 940 | 4.0% |
| Total | 23,500 | 100% |
France is the leading producer and consumer of duck and goose foie gras. In 2005, the country produced 18,450 tonnes of foie gras (78.5% of the world's estimated total production of 23,500 tonnes) of which 96% was duck liver and the rest goose liver. Total French consumption of foie gras was 19,000 tonnes in 2005. Approximately 30,000 people are members of the French foie gras industry, with 90% of them residing in the Périgord (Dordogne), the Midi-Pyrénées régions in the southwest, and Alsace. The European Union recognizes the foie gras produced according to traditional farming methods (label rouge) in southwestern France with a geographical indication of provenance.
Hungary is the world's second-largest foie gras (libamáj) producer and the largest exporter (1,920 tonnes in 2005). France is the principal market for Hungarian foie gras; mainly exported raw. Approximately 30,000 Hungarian goose farmers are dependent on the foie gras industry. French food companies spice, process, and cook the foie gras so it may be sold as a French product in its domestic and export markets.
Bulgaria produced 1,500 tons of foie gras in 2005; Canada also has a thriving foie gras industry. The demand for foie gras in the Far East is such that China has become a sizeable producer.
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