France has fries

We like it grilled, mashed, fried or in chips. Each French person eats an average of 50 kilos of potatoes per year. There’s a recipe for every meal. The Breton retired couple interviewed in the report above appreciate this starchy food because it is good for the body, but not only that. They pay 52 cents per kilo, an unbeatable price. Potato enthusiasts and producers who also have a smile. In Ploeuc sur Lie, in the Côtes d’Armor, Frédéric Ecobichon cultivates 23 hectares of potatoes. Its 2024 vintage looks good, with yields up 10 to 15%. “The harvest was correct due to the accumulation of water that we had all year“, he explains.

Countries increasingly fond of fries and crisps. France is the world’s leading exporter of potatoes and the second largest producer in Europe, after Germany, but ahead of the Netherlands, with 6.8 million tonnes last year. A sector boosted by the potato industry, born in the post-war years. Today, it absorbs 45% of French harvests. In a factory where a famous flaked puree is produced, sales are quite good, but supply becomes complicated. The battle for the tuber is tough. Coveted by manufacturers, it is also back on chefs’ tables. In the Somme, Louis Morieux even made it his signature dish: a potato millefeuille with black garlic and blueberries. A restored image, which sounds like revenge, for the potato.

Watch the full report in the video above.