In Belgium, a record potato harvest coincided with challenging market conditions. Recently, Kris D’haeyere, a Belgian farmer, stored a thousand tons of potatoes in his warehouse for months. Despite offering them at reduced prices, buyers were scarce.
This surplus situation has led D’haeyere and other farmers to take drastic measures. He decided to return the unsold potatoes to his fields, which was the most cost-effective disposal method. The quantity was sufficient to produce 200 million French fries.
The region is experiencing a potato surplus totaling five million metric tons. This situation has driven the spot market price for a metric ton of potatoes in Belgium, a top exporter of frozen fries, to zero. Just three years prior, the price stood at nearly 600 euros ($690).
Several factors have contributed to this glut. Favorable weather conditions resulted in the largest European potato harvest in eight years. However, geopolitical issues have complicated sales. The imposition of tariffs by the Trump administration affected exports to the U.S., while new Asian competitors have captured market share.
Additionally, the conflict in Iran has increased energy and fertilizer costs. This, combined with consumers reducing spending, has further tightened already narrow profit margins for farmers.
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