France’s most famous condiment, mustard is starting to disappear from the country’s shelves

Hoping to bring home some mustard from France? In fact, it might be the last place you’ll find at the moment.

France’s most famous condiment is running low and there is no sign of its return to the shelves.

A luxury condiment?

When Marc Désarménien’s “Maison Fallot” mustard boutique in Dijon opens at 10 am every morning, 10 to 15 people are already lining up outside, waiting to get their hands on this now luxurious condiment.

“I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like this!” exclaims Désarménien. His family business has been producing authentic French mustard for generations.

“My grandfather lived through two world wars and the post-war period, when there were ration tickets in France, but there was still mustard! all sold out in a few hours.”

France is the biggest consumer of mustard in the world and its relationship with the condiment dates back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Désarménien explains that it was the Dukes of Burgundy who made it so popular by pairing it with tough meats because of its digestive qualities.

Over the years it has become an absolute staple in French cuisine and an essential item for the French family.

These days, most French mustard is produced by big brands like Amora, owned by Unilever, and sold in supermarkets. But supermarket shelves are now empty, sparking outrage across the country.

The impact of climate change

Conspiracy theories filled social media, some suggesting that the mustard disappearance is a ploy by supermarkets to inflate prices and that stacks of jars are being hidden in warehouses.

But the real reason for France’s mustard shortage extends far beyond the country’s borders.

Despite French mustard labeled as being from Dijon or Reims, most of the seeds it is made from are grown in Canada, where they cost much less.

But transatlantic mustard seeds have recently fallen victim to the effects of climate change.

A spokesperson for the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture told CNN that “Canada exported 157 tonnes of mustard seeds to France in 2021, an 80.0% decrease from 2020 and a 94.9% decrease from the five-year average.”

The reason for this decrease is that “in 2021, the prairies — where mustard seed is primarily grown — experienced extreme drought conditions, which led to a significant reduction in yields,” the spokesperson said, adding that “the Farmers are on the front lines of climate change.”

war in europe

With these extreme weather conditions hurting Canadian exports, France has been looking to other exporters for these seeds.

At the top of that list are Russia and Ukraine, but with an embargo on Russian exports and the ongoing war in Ukraine, there is no visible solution for the foreseeable future.

Max Matsepliuk works for a Ukrainian export company that engages with farmers to export Ukrainian grain.

Although Ukrainian mustard seed production is lower compared to Canadian exports, mustard seed prices have skyrocketed significantly in the past year and Max is confident this is creating incentives for Ukrainian farmers to grow them.

The problem is that most of the camps are in southern Ukraine — Mykolaiv or Kherson — currently occupied by the Russians.

“The southern parts of Ukraine were the strongest in terms of growing mustard seeds. In the West it is quite rare. Some farmers do,” he says, “but that’s not enough for potential buyers from Europe. They want more and they want consistency and quality.”

Matsepliuk fears that the seeds were stolen by Russian occupiers in the south and sold at a low price. So until these areas are cleared, Ukraine is unlikely to be able to export mustard seeds.

positive future

Not everyone is suffering from this mustard shortage. Indeed, local French producers who do not rely on foreign exports have been overwhelmed by current demand and their business is thriving.

Ghislain Durand, who produces mustard in the southern French city of Castelnaudary, usually takes a vacation in July to enjoy the summer. But this year’s demand is too good an opportunity to pass up.

“I need to keep working because of this lack of mustard, because I have a surplus of orders that I wasn’t expecting and I need to know how to make the most of this situation”, he says. ”

It’s very beneficial for my business, I must admit. In the last four months, the increase has been so violent and rapid that it is difficult to keep up.” So blatant, in fact, that Durand’s profits were fourfold.

At the tourist shops where Durand sells his mustard, people used to buy a jar or two to take home. “Now, they take about ten!” Durand says. “They see mustard and they throw themselves at it.”

With the Canadian agriculture ministry predicting good yields for the next crop, things could get back to normal next year.

Meanwhile, those unable to get their hands on the precious pots from local producers are turning to alternatives, from tahini to wasabi, to add that sought-after kick to their meals.