China has rapidly risen to become the world’s second‑largest producer of foie gras, with output of roughly 12,000 tonnes in 2024 and further growth recorded in 2025. French producers, however, say they remain unconcerned about losing their traditional market leadership. “At this stage we are not worried that China will overtake France as the leading global foie gras producer,” said Fabien Chevalier, chairman of the French foie gras trade group CIFOG. Chevalier told RFI that the speed of China’s expansion over the past two years has surprised him, noting that French production stood at about 15,000 tonnes in 2025, making the Chinese volume “quite significant.”
The Chinese industry’s rise is driven by government subsidies and large‑scale farming operations, but its model differs markedly from the French approach. These differences extend to the birds raised and the final products offered.
Different Products
French and European producers primarily work with duck livers, whereas Chinese farms focus on geese. “It is surprising because making foie gras from geese is far more difficult than from ducks,” Chevalier observed. Chinese growers commonly use Landes geese, a breed originally from south‑western France that was introduced to Linqu county in 1988 and has since adapted to the local climate, which shares the same latitude.
The bulk of Chinese foie gras is destined for the domestic market of more than a billion consumers, with only a small portion exported.
Restaurant owner Song Huailan eats foie gras hotpot in Huoqiu county, Anhui province, China. © Reuters/Tingshu Wang 
Chinese producers have also diversified the range of foie gras‑based products. Chevalier noted that the market now includes items marketed to students as cognitive boosters and formulations aimed at elderly consumers for mental performance enhancement.
Chinese goose livers can reach weights of up to two kilograms, whereas French goose livers typically weigh around 700 grams and duck livers about 500 grams. “We have seen images of a Chinese producer holding a liver that is nearly three kilograms,” he said. The larger size is suited to emulsified products such as mousses, creams and other processed foods, a production method that contrasts with the traditional French practice of serving whole “foie gras entier,” which requires smaller organs.
Exports
France ships roughly 20 percent of its annual foie gras output, primarily to other European nations. Japan was historically its largest export market, but a bird‑flu‑related embargo imposed by Tokyo in 2023 has curtailed those sales. In 2025 France sent about 10 tonnes of foie gras to China, resuming exports after a hiatus caused by avian influenza. Before the 2021 pause, Chinese shipments were three to four times larger.
Only two French companies—Lafitte and Rougié—hold the authorisation to export to China. Chevalier, who also leads Lafitte, explained that obtaining this approval required eight years of compliance work. “It was a very difficult process before France secured export authorisation in 2019,” he recalled. Rougié established duck farms in China in 2007 to produce foie gras locally for domestic restaurant supply, noting that around 66 million Chinese are able to dine at quality restaurants on a daily basis.
France is the country of foie gras. It is a hallmark of French cuisine and strongly associated with its image. © CIFOG/Megalowfood/Adocom-RP 
Looking Ahead
According to a Reuters analysis, less than five percent of Chinese foie gras production was exported in 2025, based on customs data and industry estimates. The news agency forecasts that shipments to Southeast Asian and European markets are likely to begin this year. Min Wei, general manager of Jilin Zhengfang Agriculture & Animal Husbandry—the nation’s largest duck‑foie‑gras producer, with an annual output of 1,500 tonnes—was cited on the expected export expansion.
A 2024 report in People’s Daily Online quoted Gao Yuanliang, head of Shandong Zunrun Shengluoje Food, as disclosing a 210 million‑yuan investment in European‑standard production facilities. Meanwhile, Chevalier remains sceptical about China’s export ambitions, noting that domestic sales dominate and that the country’s bird‑flu vaccination protocol does not yet meet the international standards required for broader trade.
“For now they sell extensively locally, and the bird‑flu vaccination regime they use is not aligned with international standards,” he said. “From what I know of the Chinese, they could perfectly start focusing on exporting foie gras should they want to do so. After all, this is a major global powerhouse,” Chevalier added, while acknowledging that the rise of a large competitor could also benefit the sector by creating more advocates for the product.
Wu Deli from Changhao Biotechnology company, holding a frozen goose liver weighing 2.9 kg, at their farm in Huoqiu county, Anhui province, China. © Reuters/Tingshu Wang 
Chevalier expressed optimism that China’s entry into the market could strengthen the global commitment to foie gras, despite the divergent product philosophies. “I am quite happy that such a big country like China is involved in making foie gras. There will be more of us to defend that product – bearing in mind that China and France make different end products out of foie gras, ours being destined for gastronomy,” he noted.
French regulations continue to enforce strict quality standards for domestically produced and imported foie gras, reinforcing the country’s reputation as the canonical source of the delicacy. “France is the country of foie gras and this is not likely to change soon. It remains a hallmark of French cuisine and strongly associated with our image. An American or an Asian tourist visiting Paris will want to visit the Eiffel Tower, the Champs‑Elysées and eat foie gras,” Chevalier concluded.