As the coronavirus pandemic continues to biff the food for thought industry amid authorities lockdowns , Belgians are being demand to lend a hand to one struggling food market in finicky : Potatoes . More specifically , Belgians are being called upon to corrode a ton of tyke .
The Brussels Timesreportedlast week that white potato Farmer were start down a surplus of roughly 750,000 tonnes of spud over lockdown beat constitute in March to assist contain the spread of covid-19 . With businesses closed and eating house capable only for takeaway orders , need for potatoes — namely , frites typically served in restaurant or measure context — has dropped significantly . In society to prevent excessive waste , Belgians are being ask to consume icy frites at least twice a hebdomad at domicile , Romain Cools , the repository - general of Belgian potato trade association Belgapom , told theAssociated Pressthis week .
“ Traditionally , Belgians exhaust Roger Eliot Fry once a hebdomad , and it ’s always a festive moment , ” Cools said . But because consumption has go under considerably during the res publica ’s lockdown , Cools order the industry could lose as much as 125 million euros . The Associated Press reported that the country ’s lockdown order could be lifted as before long as the coming weekend , but non - takeaway restaurants will not be able-bodied to reopen their doors just yet .
Photo: Getty
As part of its initiative to prevent food for thought waste , Belgapom has also committed to donating25 tonnes of potatoesper week to food banks through the remnant of May and potentially longer . The potatoes are also being exported to neighborhood with deficit like Central Europe and Africa , and what ’s remnant may be used for biofuel or animal provender . But Coolstold CNBCin an audience that those initiatives can be high-priced .
“ It wo n’t be over for sure until we have a inoculation program run , and that may not be until the beginning of next twelvemonth , ” Cools tell the mercantile establishment .
It ’s difficult to know how the coronavirus pandemic will impact industries and the thriftiness in the long condition , especially in the event of a 2nd wave . In the lag , however , a directive to eat more delicious fries is n’t all bad .
BelgiumCOVID-19
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