“For your health, avoid eating too fatty, too sweet, too salty”, warns the National Nutrition and Health Program. But Pleinchamp invites you to enjoy French fries and crisps, in moderation, because it is the processed products industry that is driving the sector upwards. Good news in these gloomy times.
According to the latest activity report of January 6, 2025 from the National Interprofessional Potato Committee for the 2023-2024 campaign, France, already the world’s leading exporter, saw its export sales reach a historic increase of 10%. of volume. Cultivated areas increased by 7.3% in one year. This expansion, combined with production difficulties in the Netherlands, propelled French exports to nearly 1.2 billion euros!
An insatiable appetite that doesn’t lack salt
Potato growth is driven by national and European industrial demand. Exports of frozen potato products, for example, increased by 16.7%, surpassing Germany with more than 500,000 tonnes exported. This dynamism is reflected in the installation of new processing plants in the region, including three Belgian ones. A dynamic new sector that should not be overlooked because most of our potatoes are exported to be processed elsewhere and return to our plates. A shame!
The Brets case, David versus Goliath
The example of the French group Altho, based in Morbihan and its Brets brand, 100% made in France, illustrates this dynamic of transformation in the region. Number 2 in the French crisps market, behind the American giant Lays (Perpsico), the group has a turnover of 280 million euros and is already planning the opening of a third factory in 2026, to satisfy the appetite fierce fans of quality French chips – which are, moreover, terribly crispy and locavore!
Potato sauce
However, production remains an ongoing challenge. The tuber is sensitive to sanitary pressure and weather conditions. Heavy rains at the end of 2024 slowed down the sowing periods, leaving doubts about the 2025-2026 campaign. The increase in the number of producers could also lead to lower prices.
Despite these uncertainties, the potato continues to have the potato. The French consume nearly 50 kg per capita per year, so it is not a market that is likely to run out of steam. Lovers of raclettes, tartiflettes, gratins or truffades, enjoy, every bite is an activist act!
