Why France, the world's leading exporter of potatoes, imports its fries and crisps

Are French fries a French or Belgian invention? While President Macron has just visited with great fanfare the McCain factory in Matougues in Marne, which produces one in three frozen fries eaten in France, this debate still pits gourmets on both sides of the border against each other. One thing is certain, however: the match is clearly decided on the side of the transformation of this major crop of French agriculture. In fact, if France is, with 6 million table potatoes produced per year, the second European producer, and the world's leading exporter (50% of its exported volumes), the sector seems to have missed the mark on the front. processed products. Thus, according to a recent parliamentary report dating from December 2021 on France's food autonomy, we massively import processed ...