Apr 28, 2020 - Economy

Belgians told to eat fries twice a week due to frozen potato surplus

Marisa Fernandez

A mound of french fries in Antwerp in happier times. Photo: Barrie Fanton/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Hundreds of thousands of pounds of potatoes are at risk unless Belgians eat more french fries during the coronavirus crisis, Romain Cools, the secretary-general of the country's potato industry group, told CNBC.

The big picture: Frozen potatoes account for 75% of Belgium's potato processing capacity, and demand has been crushed with restaurants shuttered and freezers filled up.

By the numbers: Belgium's industry faces a possible loss of $135.5 million, if hundreds of tons of surplus potatoes aren't eaten by this year, AP reports.

"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."

— Cools told CNBC

The big picture: Belgium is set to lift its stay-at-home order for most of its population as soon as Saturday. But, no date has yet been established for restaurants and frites stands to reopen.

In the meantime, businesses are organizing shipments to food banks and exports to Central Europe and Africa.

Go deeper: Coronavirus breaks the food supply chain

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Belgians told to eat fries twice a week due to frozen potato surplus

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