French farmers fear economic consequences of war

French farmers are starting to worry over the economic consequences of the degraded relations between Russia and the European Union. Earlier this week the 27-nation bloc approved a new set of sanctions to punish Moscow for its military operation.

In the past weeks, French farmers are facing a sharp increase in energy and cereals prices used for heating and feeding their livestock of pigs, chicken and cows.

The price that we sell our chicken hasn't really changed while we had a 50 per cent increase of the cost price of our animals because of the increase of grain and raw materials prices, so this situation is unbearable said Isabelle, a pig and chicken farmer.

In the Sarthe region the chicken farmers are already facing a bird flu breakout, making them particularly exposed.