Belgium: The Belgian industrial potato industry is facing a significant crisis.

At Charles-Edouard Gourdin’s farm, growing anxiety grips the employees as the price of processing potatoes continues to fall sharply. Since last March, a ton of potatoes has fetched only 10 euros, a dire situation for producers. The farmer points out the severity of the crisis, highlighting its wide-ranging impact. The inability to export potatoes for fries, coupled with increasing costs for fuel and fertilizers, is placing immense strain on operations. For some farmers, contracts offer a crucial lifeline, ensuring financial stability, but this safety net isn’t available to everyone. Gourdin notes that a portion of the potato harvest isn’t backed by contracts, leaving producers vulnerable as factories now refuse to accept these surplus stocks. “It’s a grim outlook,” he shares. “It could take two or three years before the situation improves.” The crisis stems from a combination of unprecedented factors. According to Daniel Ryckmans, technical and economic advisor at the Walloon ...