A similar pattern can be seen in other areas of the French agricultural industry, the source said.
Last August, Russia issued a one-year ban on the import of food from the EU, the United States and some other Western countries in response to anti-Russian sanctions imposed against it over the Ukrainian crisis.
Since the EU cannot import its farming produce to Russia, its food market has become oversupplied, causing a dramatic fall in food prices. This, in turn, is hurting European farmers, who need high food prices to make a living and keep their businesses afloat.
The Russian embargo leads to massive losses in the livestock breeding industry overall. And French pig farmers aren't the exception.
"French pig farmers are losing €0.2 euros from each pig carcass over the past year and a half, which has already accumulated to more than €800 million euros in losses," said Paul Auffray, President of the French National Federation of Pork Producers, as cited by France Info.
In the past, Russia would purchase French farming products at a higher price than France now has to export. With the Russian market out of reach now, the EU deals with less lucrative markets in Algeria and the UAE, the French radio station said.
