In 2026, Belgium saw a record potato harvest. However, this success coincided with tariffs affecting U.S. demand for frozen fries and increased competition from Asian suppliers.

A warehouse on Kris D’haeyere’s farm held a thousand tons of potatoes stacked 15 feet high for months. Despite offering them for a couple of euros per ton, there were no buyers. Consequently, Mr. D’haeyere resorted to returning the crop to his fields. This was the most economical way to dispose of enough potatoes to produce 200 million French fries.

Many other farmers in Europe are also returning their surplus to the fields as the continent faces an oversupply of five million metric tons of potatoes used for fries. In Belgium, known as the world’s largest exporter of frozen fries, the spot market price for a metric ton of potatoes has dropped to zero. This marked a decline from nearly 600 euros, or $690, three years ago.

The potato surplus in 2026 resulted from several factors. Favorable weather conditions delivered Europe’s largest potato harvest in eight years. Simultaneously, tariffs from the Trump administration hindered exports, while new competitors from Asia gained market share. Additionally, the ongoing conflict in Iran drove up energy and fertilizer costs. Consequently, consumers cut back on purchases, squeezing profit margins that were already minimal.