Sixteen poultry farms are affected by the avian flu pandemic in France, Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandi announced on Thursday.

“Today, there are 16 farms affected by avian influenza in France,” said the minister at the RMC, specifying that the French authorities have begun ordering the slaughter of animals in the respective farms, but also in the surrounding farms titled Preventive In.

This is a “difficult decision” according to the government official, but it is necessary, given that the breeders who force their animals to slaughter will be compensated accordingly, after killing 30 lakh last year. was 80 million euros. poultry.

With regard to the consumption of the very popular poultry products during the holiday season, the minister assured that “there is absolutely no risk to health to consume poultry and duck products”.

There are about 20,000 poultry farms in France that are raised for meat, eggs or foie gras.

The virus was first identified at a farm in France, which has about 20,000 poultry farms, on 26 November at a farm in the city of Warheim in the north of the country, where 160,000 laying hens were bred throughout the year. building.

From the first case in breeding, France had lost the “free” status of avian influenza that it had gained back on 2 September.