By Zoila Palma: Europe is facing a significant potato shortage following a summer of extreme heat that damaged fields, stunted crop growth and reduced the size and quality of potatoes.
The shortage could lead to smaller and more expensive chips and fries as processors contend with reduced supplies across some of the continent’s major potato-producing countries, Financial Times reports.
An analysis by the nonprofit Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) estimates that extreme weather destroyed about 3.1 million tonnes of potatoes valued at between €400 million and €620 million.
This comes on top of an estimated 3.6 million tonnes that were not planted this year following a record harvest in 2025. Production in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands is forecast to fall from 27.3 million tonnes last year to between 19.5 million and 20.5 million tonnes in 2026.
The sharp decline marks a dramatic reversal from last year, when an oversupply caused potato prices to collapse.
Farmers in Belgium reportedly dumped, gave away, burned or fed unwanted potatoes to cattle, while competition from Asia and trade pressures, including a new U.S. tariff, contributed to weaker European exports of frozen fries.
Commodity market analyst Craig Elliott described the situation as a shift from a record high to a potential record low in just one year.
The post International News: Europe faces potato shortage as heatwaves shrink crops and push up prices appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Europe is facing a significant potato shortage following a summer of extreme heat that damaged fields, stunted crop growth and reduced the size and quality of potatoes. The shortage could lead to smaller and more expensive chips and fries as processors contend with reduced supplies across some of the continent’s major potato-producing
The post International News: Europe faces potato shortage as heatwaves shrink crops and push up prices appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
