Shortage of mustard: 5 products to replace it

Our supermarkets are increasingly empty. If the shortages concern many departments, mustard is one of the most affected products. Indeed, many French people browse the stores in search of this precious condiment.

But, in the same way as sunflower oil, it is increasingly difficult to obtain it and stock-outs are common.

In vinaigrette, in a quiche, in a sauce or simply to accompany meat, mustard is nevertheless an essential element present in almost all French cuisines.

But where does this scarcity come from? If the lack of sunflower oil is a direct consequence of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, it is far from being so simple for mustard.

There are actually three factors behind this problem. First of all, it is important to note that Canada is the world’s largest exporter of mustard seeds. According to France 3, it supplied 80% of these seeds in France a few months ago.

However, weather events disrupted production. Indeed, last summer was marked by extreme heat in the North American country. The harvest thus had to be halved.

Russia and Ukraine are also major producers, reports Le Journal des Femmes. However, the war raging between these two countries has suspended harvests.

In France, too, production has also fallen sharply. “From 12,000 tonnes in 2016, we went to 4,000 tonnes in 2021”, confided the president of the association of mustard seed producers in Burgundy, in the columns of Liberation.

Faced with all these hazards, the situation is now complicated and it is very difficult to obtain mustard in our supermarkets.

Fortunately, there are other foods with which it is possible to replace this condiment. Discover five in our slideshow.