Oysters banned for consumption in France

The temporary ban, for health reasons, on the marketing of oysters from a few sites on the western coast is “catastrophic” for all producers because “people are no longer buying”, declared Sunday Philippe Le Gal , the president of the national shellfish farming federation. “It’s catastrophic, it’s general panic, when we are not even at 10% of contaminated areas in France” compared to the entire national production, he reacted. The production areas whose marketing has been prohibited since the weekend by prefectural decision are located in particular in the Arcachon basin (Gironde) as well as in two very limited sectors of Calvados and Manche. Taking his own example, Philippe Le Gal explained: “My oysters were on sale Sunday morning in four markets, one in Lot, one in Corrèze and two in Morbihan” where he is based. “We didn't sell anything at all,” he lamented, estimating “barely 10%” of the sales made for a New Year's Eve day, while the end-of-year celebrations are usually one of ...