Belgian Potato Crop Shrinks Amid Drought, Threatening Fry Supply

In the Amay area close to Liége, farmer Mathieu Comijn observed potatoes reduced to the size of ping-pong balls after a summer marked by heavy spring storms and a subsequent heatwave that dried the soil. The Bintje potatoes, a prized Belgian cultivar for making long, golden fries, have failed to reach the typical size required for commercial fry production. With the harvest slated for around September 20, the crop is far undersized, prompting the Comijn family, who manage 500 hectares, to rely on stored potatoes from an abundant 2025 harvest.

Despite this buffer, the shortage may compel processors to use less-preferred varieties, raising concerns among fry shop owners about price hikes and quality. Bernard Lefevre, head of the national fry vendors' union, noted that while supply fluctuations are common, this drought could drive fry prices upward, a development that would affect thousands of Belgian fry outlets.