British company Creek Project Investments is investing millions of pounds to build the world’s largest foie gras production facility in Poyang Lake, China. As described on their website, over 200 hectares of land have been set aside, with a projected total rearing of 100 million geese and ducks within five years
The international animal welfare organization FOUR PAWS has sent the company a written request to immediately cease all involvement in establishing the
world’s largest foie gras production facility in China that, if it were to go ahead, would surely tarnish the company’s reputation.
The production of foie gras meaning fatty liver, is associated with severe animal suffering. The animals are force-fed two or three times a day. Each
bird has a feeding tube inserted into its throat and then boiled maize is delivered by a pneumatic hydraulic system – a cruel procedure. Their liver
becomes fatty, swells up tenfold and reaches a weight of up to one kilogram. The result is a fatty liver, a sick organ growing in an ill animal, that is sold at a high price under the traditional French name “foie gras”.
China is planning to be the world leader in fat liver production. Several plants are being built and under construction. For the first time, FOUR PAWS
has current video material from such a facility in China. The geese are fattened in battery cages and are held to the floor of the cage with an iron
clamp during violent force-feeding.
Although force-feeding for foie gras production is regarded as cruelty to animals and prohibited in 14 European Countries, including the UK, the ban
is circumvented by many companies like Creek Project Investments by force-feeding animals abroad.
“The growth of foie gras production in Asia shows that this industry is completely ignoring animal suffering and is trying to avoid animal welfare
laws”, says Gabriel Paun, director of campaigns at FOUR PAWS.
Current video material of a Chinese foie gras production facility and images of force-feeding are available free of charge from: