France faces mustard shortage as farmers face climate change

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France faces mustard shortage as farmers face climate change

France is facing a shortage of mustard with supermarket shelves empty, despite being the world's largest consumer of the much-loved condiment.

Customers have been limited to buying a jar of mustard per person, and prices have gone up at some supermarkets.

The condiment has been hard to find in France, which has seen tourists bring mustard into the country instead of sharing the experience on social media.

The shortage is caused by a combination of hot conditions that impact the growth of mustard seeds and supply issues on account of the war in Ukraine.

The seeds are imported from countries like Canada and Ukraine, while the French regions of Burgundy and Dijon are famous for mustard.

Canada is one of the world's largest producers of mustard seeds and Ukraine is a leading producer and exporter of mustard.

According to the Canadian Grain Commission, 49,955 tonnes of mustard seeds were produced last year, which was significantly lower than the 98,800 tons produced in 2020.

The 2021 season produced the lowest yield in more than 25 years.

The high temperatures caused crops to ripen and mature across Saskatchewan at an accelerated rate, and drought conditions caused crops to deteriorate, the commission said.

In the New York Times last month, Reine de Dijon mustard director Luc Vandermaesen told The New York Times he was getting 50 calls a day from people who were looking to get their hands on a jar.

The main issue is climate change and the result is a shortage, he said.

Retail prices have gone up 25 per cent as a result of the soaring cost of seeds, and we can't respond to the orders we get. Farmers in Australia are calling for action to be taken to prevent the impact of climate change.

Farmers for Climate Action chief executive Fiona Davis said the cost of climate change was hurting farmers.

She said that the farmers who grow our food can't just keep taking repeat climate damage every year because they run out of savings.