CNBC: Belgians are being called upon to eat fries at least twice a week as more than 750,000 tons of potatoes are at risk of being thrown away.
The coronavirus crisis has led to a surplus of potatoes in the small European country, as demand for frites — a national dish of twice-fried potatoes often eaten in bars and restaurants — has slumped amid Belgium’s government-enforced lockdown.
Speaking to CNBC in a phone call on Monday, Romain Cools, secretary general of Belgian potato industry body Belgapom, said around 750,000 tons of potatoes — enough to fill 30,000 big lorries — would probably not be processed because of the pandemic.
The issue was largely down to a fall in demand in the frozen potato sector, which accounts for around 75% of Belgium’s potato processing, he said. As inventories built up, freezer capacity was being squeezed. In order to mitigate the problem, Belgapom was appealing to Belgians to up their weekly intake of fries.
“We’re working with supermarkets to see whether we can launch a campaign asking Belgians to do something for the sector by eating fries — especially frozen fries — twice a week during the coronavirus crisis,” Cools said. “What we are trying to do is to avoid food waste, because every lost potato is a loss.” more
The Belgian potato famine in on the way.
Be ready for the refugees fleeing from it.
Can’t they find some way to turn potatoes into waffles?
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The leviathon has been on a nonstop mission to minimize any benefit of that drug trump said might be good against the virus.
And just today, i see the NYSlimes has an article about how promising it might be to give female sex hormones to men to fight the virus.
And another article says that hospitals in NY or trying pepcid, an otc heartburn medicine on patients of the virus.
Good. Get the hydrochlor stuff to republican states and give the female sex hormones to patients in New York. That’s just fine with me. Better than fine. I love it.
So, they’re giving them away? Maybe a tip jar? Leave what you can/want?
Or is this (still, more) “I’m an En-Titled Prinxess! You proles better make the lies come TRUE!”
They cannot do anything with all that junk food? For sure you could make plenty of vodka, but I hear you can make potato beer also.
With our meat processing companies shutting down now due to WuFlu (see Tyson’s closure warning ad) don’t worry too much about Belgium’s potato’s. Our farmers are killing off and burying their meat animals because they have no market and can’t afford to keep feeding them. How long will it take to build the herds back up? It won’t be quick. So what if the processors open back up in 3 months? They will hove nothing to to do with empty feed lots.
Hmm . . . fries or waffles. That’s a hard decision.
Make mine potato pancakes
It’s almost all bullshit about the farmers and ranchers dumping their live stock. Dairy farmers are dumping milk because it’s perishable. Hog, chicken and Cow producers have the ability to feed their animals for years and they DO. The grain and rolled crop are abundant and should be refurbished annually…. What’s the difference between a 2 year old steer and a 3 year old steer? What’s the difference between a 10 month old slaughter hog and a 22 month old slaughter hog? What’s the difference between a 1 year old stew hen and a 5 year old stew hen?……Surplus dairy cows go into meat production and always have….
The farmer/rancher will get their money just like the oil industry. Hand out and turned up to receive the government handout…..That also includes the vegetable farmers…..
Who is Big Lorrie?
She must be YUGE!
Also, you can make a great vodka with potatoes.
Potatoes are just Earth turds. They have no purpose other than seducing the Irish and intoxicating Russians.
Why would you eat something that we traded syphilis for?
They call me….Tater Salad
Give a free roll of toilet paper with purchase of 10lb bag. They’ll be gone in a day or two.
There are many ways to eat potatoes besides fries. Belgians need to expand their menues.
…I’p part Irish and part German from the part of Germany that put the “Kartoffel” in “Kartoffelsalat”, so I’ll help with a potato surplus any way I can…
Mansfield lovell – Other
statespeople are trying to abolish thedeath penaltypotato…mine’syou’re putting in an express lane.GAH!!!! Potatoes are the fuggin’ RETARDS of the plant kingdom.
They’re all weird and lumpy looking.
They probably have warm sweaty palms and a limp handshake…
Here in North Maine, we raise 60K acres of potatoes, 1/2 of which go to McCain Foods, the largest food processor in the world.
These farmers are at the mercy of McCain’s when it comes to the prices they contract for, sacrificing higher prices for the safety of a contract.
Now, with food service pretty much in the shitter, there is no market for french fries to be served in restaurants, and the supply chain has not been expanded to service the retail market through the supermarkets.
Long story, short, McCains has released about half their growers from their contracts, meaning they will not take the potatoes that farmers, in good faith, contracted to provide.
“Contract”, you say?
“We’ll sue them to make them pay for the spuds they don’t take” you say.
Riiiight.
You get your small time lawyer and meet us in court with our 18 lawyer team, and we’ll show you the fine print.
In essence, the effects of this democrat/media, (sorry for repeating myself)led attack on the country for the sole purpose of removing the best president in recent memory will last for at least a decade, if not longer, and will affect each and every one of us for years to come.
Aaron, but you have to admit, potatoes have somethings you don’t.
Nubs, pits and buds.
Show me someone who doesn’t like potatoes (^) and I’ll show you someone who doesn’t like potatoes au grautin!
Belgium is where French Fries were born, not France.
Let ’em eat away.