Published on 26/08/2026 – 15:11 GMT+2
Belgian potato farmers are warning that this year’s crop could be too small to produce the country’s celebrated fries, as extreme weather conditions have taken a toll on harvests.
In Amay, near the eastern city of Liège, farmer Mathieu Comijn is extracting Bintje potatoes from parched soil, only to find them barely the size of ping-pong balls.
“You can see the soil is extremely dry,” Comijn said. “Normally, they should be at least four times this size. At the moment we can’t make fries with these potatoes.”
Heavy rain and storms at the end of spring weakened the soil, followed by an exceptionally hot and dry summer that prevented the potatoes from developing properly.
The Comijn family cultivates around 500 hectares of potatoes and holds contracts requiring them to deliver agreed volumes to processors. They plan to draw on stocks from last year’s unusually abundant harvest to meet some of these commitments.
Belgium is the world’s largest exporter of frozen fries, with its potato-processing industry handling more than six million tonnes annually. Approximately 90% of the frozen fries produced are exported to over 120 markets worldwide.
The shortage could eventually impact consumers as well.
At Brussels’ renowned Maison Antoine fry kiosk, owner Pascal Willaert explains that large, elongated potatoes were ideal for producing fries.
“But right now, with the seasons varying so wildly, it’s hard to find the perfect potato for fries,” he said.
Belgium’s national association of fry vendors, which represents around 4,500 shops, has also cautioned that tighter potato supplies could drive prices higher.
Additional sources • AFP, AP
