date:Nov 06, 2012
Stocks of French oysters have been decimated by the OsVH-1 Oyster Herpesvirus, which is also known in France as La Mortality.
The disease destroyed nearly 80 per cent of the countrys young stock of oysters last year. Overall production fell from 130,000 metric tons in 2009 to 80,000 metric tons last year.
The shortage has forced French suppliers and caterers to plunder Britains stocks, experts say.
The increase in demand has pushed the price of British oysters up by around 30 per cent. Rock o