When I was a child, my grandmother fed me horse meat, saying: "To become a strong and courageous person, you need to eat horse meat." - Interview with Frenchman Arnaud Driollett.

АСТАНА. KAZINFORM - In October this year, a livestock summit was held in France. During this international event, a cooperation agreement was signed between Kaiyp Ata and Pegase BVS to organize horse meat supplies to France. In this regard, we talked to Parisian Arnaud Driollett to find out how much horse meat is consumed in France and what horse meat dishes are on the French menu.

- How much horse meat is consumed in France?

- About 10 percent of total meat consumption. However, there is a lot of controversy around this fact. After all, horse meat consumption by the French is decreasing every year. According to Agreste, in 2022, horse meat accounted for only 0.1 percent of total meat consumption in terms of whole meat. That is, the consumption of pork (37.6 percent), chicken (26.5) and beef (26.1) is very high. Statistics collected by the country's Ministry of Agriculture also show that horse meat consumption has fallen by 10 percent over the past 10 years. For example, according to the national agricultural and marine institute FranceAgriMer, only 3,882 horses were slaughtered in the country in 2022. In 2012, more than 18,000 animals were sent to slaughterhouses.

- What horse meat dishes are on your menu?

- As far as I know, we do not have special horse meat dishes. However, we do have a sausage called "cervelas", which is usually made from horse meat. We eat horse meat like beef.We cook tartare, stew and fry. In France, horse meat can be bought in a specialized butcher's shop (boucherie de chevaline). However, their number has been decreasing every year.

- Do French restaurants serve horse meat dishes?

- It happens. But it happens very rarely.

- Have you tried horse meat or Kazakh national dishes in general?

- Yes, because my wife is Kazakh and I work closely with Kazakhstan. That is why I have been visiting your country regularly for the past 10 years.

- What Kazakh national dishes do you like?

- Meat and sausage. In addition, although they are not considered your national dishes, I enjoy eating manti, pelmeni, shashlik and lagman.

- If horse meat were exported from Kazakhstan to France, would you buy it?

- I can't say for sure. Because I have never bought or eaten horse meat in France. Yes, I ate horse meat as a child. My grandmother used to tell me: "To be a strong and courageous person, you need to eat horse meat." However, since then I have not eaten horse meat, except when I visit Kazakhstan or when visiting my Kazakh friends. Maybe it is better to cook horse meat at home, in Paris...