Belgian Farmers Face Potato Glut Amid Stagnant Prices

In eastern Belgium, farmer Kris D’haeyere found himself with a thousand tons of potatoes stacked 15 feet high in a storage facility. Despite offering them at just a few euros per ton, buyers remained elusive.

Recently, Mr. D’haeyere resorted to returning the vast quantity of potatoes to his fields, marking the cheapest way to dispose of enough produce to make 200 million French fries. This situation mirrors actions taken by many farmers across Europe.

Currently, Europe is dealing with a surplus of five million metric tons of potatoes specifically grown for frying. For months, the market price in Belgium, the leading exporter of frozen fries worldwide, has stagnated at zero euros per metric ton, a stark drop from almost 600 euros three years prior.

This substantial oversupply in 2026 has emerged from a mix of meteorological and geopolitical factors. Exceptional weather conditions resulted in the largest European potato harvest in eight years. Yet, the Trump administration’s tariffs had already stifled export opportunities, while Asian suppliers captured more market share.

Furthermore, the recent conflict in Iran has resulted in increased energy and fertilizer prices. These rising costs led consumers to cut back, further squeezing already thin profit margins for farmers.