Vou will no doubt have noticed that certain brands of mustard have been missing from supermarket shelves for several days now. This shortage, which occurs at the same time as that of other products, such as sunflower oil, is a direct consequence of climate change, as well as political and economic problems in certain exporting countries. Explanations.
Who says shortage says lack of raw materials. Here is the mustard seed. In question, the weather events that hit Canada, the world’s largest producer of mustard and which provides 80% of the seeds purchased that France imports. “It was an extreme heat dome in July 2021 that halved the harvest, thus pushing the authorities to limit their exports. In addition, for two years, Canada has planted half as much as before,” explains Michel Liardet, president of the European condiment company, specializing in the manufacture and packaging of mustard, and of Fedalim, a group of trade unions. and agribusiness professionals.
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Faced with these significant drops in production, Ukraine could have been an alternative while waiting for better days, but the war launched by Russia almost entirely interrupted its mustard seed exports. In any event, the Ukrainian contribution would have been insufficient to supply the 32,000 tonnes of mustard seed needed for production French. Especially since the war has also blocked access to grain from the second largest producer in the world since it is… Russia, now hit by an embargo.
Due to these supply difficulties, grain prices have increased fivefold between April 2021 and April 2022, while the price of packaged mustard has increased by 9% over the same period, according to the research institute. specialized in IRI market research.
Support French production
According to Luc Vandermaesen, director of Reine de Dijon, a company manufacturing mustard with 100% French seeds, one of the solutions to resolve this crisis, “is the varietal improvement program” that they are putting in place. developed and “which will make it possible to create varieties of mustard seeds that are more resistant to climatic conditions but also more productive”. The entrepreneur Michel Liardet also pleads for an increase in French production “in order to be less dependent on imports. »
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For several years, French farmers have increasingly lost interest in the production of mustard seeds, deemed too unprofitable and too vulnerable to insects. France has banned since 2019 the spreading of insecticides on mustard seeds, a measure considered disastrous by many producers, who ensure that the use of these pesticides does not harm pollinating insects. Today, Luc Vandermaesen assures us that he “has no long-term visibility on the production of Reine de Dijon mustard”. The shortage is likely to continue.