China's Foie Gras Boom Puts France's Crown at Risk

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From Poverty to Maserati — on Goose Liver

Li Fengshan grew up eating just one meal a day. Today, the 50-year-old from eastern China drives a white Maserati SUV — paid for by profits from his goose farm. His product: foie gras, the fattened liver of force-fed ducks or geese, long considered a symbol of French culinary luxury.

Over the past decade, foie gras has been transformed in China from an elite restaurant dish into an everyday affordable food. That shift has fueled rapid growth across the entire domestic industry.

Li's company, Changhao Biotechnology, produced 300 metric tons of foie gras last year. This year, he is targeting 500 tons. The average French producer, by comparison, makes roughly 10 tons annually.

China Closing In on France — Fast

Industry analysts estimate China's foie gras output reached as much as 14,000 tons in 2025 — a jump of around 30 percent compared to the previous year, and a sevenfold increase from an estimated 2,000 tons a decade ago. France, historically the world's leading producer, saw its output dip slightly to around 15,000 tons in the same period.

The numbers suggest China could surpass France as the world's top producer within the next year — or possibly sooner.

Together, the two countries account for more than 80 percent of global production. Hungary and Bulgaria also contribute meaningful volumes.

"It's worrying that they're developing so quickly," said Fabien Chevalier, chair of CIFOG, the French foie gras industry association. "We didn't see them coming like that."

Cheaper, Bigger — and Increasingly Exported

In China, a restaurant portion of foie gras costs between four and ten US dollars. In France, the same dish typically runs between 17 and 46 dollars. That price gap reflects dramatically lower production costs in China, driven by generous government subsidies — in Li's case covering more than half of his infrastructure and vaccine expenses — as well as a workforce willing to put in grueling hours.

Workers at Li's farm are each responsible for more than 400 geese. During the final ten days of the birds' lives, staff work around the clock, feeding each goose six times a day. The result: goose livers weighing at least one kilogram each — compared to the 500 to 750 grams typical in France.

Li is already in talks with robotics companies to automate the intensive feeding process.

And the products are no longer just the traditional sliced liver. Chinese producers now offer foie gras fried rice, foie gras hotpot, and frozen desserts shaped like cherries or roses, dipped in red wine or blueberry sauce.

Export Push Begins Despite Regulatory Hurdles

Currently, less than five percent of Chinese foie gras output is exported. Strict Chinese customs regulations require producers to certify that some 300 chemicals are absent from their poultry after vaccination — a formidable barrier for would-be exporters.

Despite that, export deals are beginning to emerge. Jilin Zhengfang Agriculture, China's largest duck foie gras producer with 1,500 tons of annual output, is preparing shipments to Southeast Asia and Europe. Another major producer, Shandong Chunguan Food, recently signed an export contract with South Korea and is in talks with buyers in Japan, Russia, and Southeast Asia, according to Chinese state media reports.

Li himself already shipped 6,000 cans to Dubai last year as a first step into overseas markets.

"China will definitely be a strong competitor to France in some overseas markets, especially in up-and-coming foie gras markets like Southeast Asia and the Middle East," said Zhou Menghan, a poultry analyst at Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultants.

Smuggling Fills the Gap

Not all Chinese foie gras reaches foreign markets through official channels. Four industry sources, who asked not to be identified because the practice is illegal, told Reuters that significant volumes of Chinese foie gras are smuggled abroad — primarily through Shenzhen and Hong Kong — disguised or mixed with other products. Estimates put the scale at up to ten tons per month.

China's farm ministry and customs authorities did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.

France Watches Carefully

French industry representatives are not yet in full alarm mode, but they are paying close attention. Chevalier noted that Chinese producers have begun appearing at international trade fairs. He expects European consumers to continue favoring certified French products, particularly those bearing the "Foie Gras du Sud-Ouest" label, which guarantees specific regional production standards.

"We will need to be vigilant about what they intend to bring to market," he said.

Animal welfare concerns add another dimension to the debate. Forced feeding of birds has long drawn criticism from activists who consider it inhumane. Producers on both sides of the debate counter that ducks and geese lack a gag reflex, making tube feeding physically less stressful than it would be for mammals. In China, where public opposition to the practice is minimal, such concerns are unlikely to slow the industry's expansion.

For Li Fengshan, the direction of travel is clear: "Our foie gras products will eventually end up on numerous overseas tables. It's inevitable."

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Sources:

1. Reuters – "As China gorges on homegrown foie gras, France faces a new rival" (June 20, 2026): https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-gorges-homegrown-foie-gras-france-faces-new-rival-2026-06-19/
2. CIFOG (Comité Interprofessionnel des Palmipèdes à Foie Gras) – French foie gras industry body: https://www.cifog.com
3. Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultants – industry analysis referenced in Reuters report: https://www.boabc.com
4. Chinese customs export data (via Reuters reporting): https://www.customs.gov.cn

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