WATCH: Too Small for Fries: Drought Shrinks Belgian Potatoes

August 26, 2026 at 5:50 PM
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In Belgium, the world’s top exporter of frozen fries, farmers harvests have been hit by a devastating combination of weather extremes this summer. Rows of potatoes that had been destined to become long, golden fries, a beloved staple in a country, are barely the size of ping-pong balls. “Right now, with the seasons varying so wildly, it’s hard to find the perfect potato for fries,” says Pascal Willaert, owner of ‘La Maison Antoine’ fry kiosk in Brussels.

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