Belgian potato producers: "Eat fries!"

Text by: RFI Follow

Potato growers are very serious about asking Belgians to eat fries twice a week instead of once. Because they end up with tons of potatoes in stock because of the coronavirus. 750,000 tonnes more precisely could be lost.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Brussels,  Laxmi Lota

Canteens, restaurants, fast food, all closed: thousands of tonnes of frozen fries not consumed. With the cancellation of festivals this summer, potato producers are worried. World consumption of frozen french fries has already dropped by more than 40%.

The problem concerns processing potatoes. The interprofessional organization Belpotato announces unexpended surplus of 750,000 tonnes, for a value of 125 million euros.

Belgapom, which represents the processors, for its part launched an appeal to Belgian consumers: "We  all eat fries twice a week instead of once!"  "

Of course, eating more frozen french fries at home will not be enough: these products are usually 90% exported and the industry is slowing down in all countries.

Professionals must imagine solutions to dispose of stocks: donations to food banks for good quality tubers, animal feed in a second step, but this represents only a few hundred tonnes. Potatoes could also be transformed into green energy.

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• Belgium
• Coronavirus
• Economy