Belgians Directed To Eat More Pomme Frites To Help Curb Wastage of Potatoes Amid Pandemic
In Belgium, a half hilarious half surprising headline has become very popular as a potato trade association publicly admonishes every citizen to increase his/her intake of potatoes to minimize the wastage of potatoes in the country. The potatoes are said to be products that would have otherwise been sold in restaurants if not for the ongoing crisis.
Recently, Belgapom, a Belgian potato trade association, drew attention to the impending mass wastage of potatoes in the country because of the drastically reduced purchase of potato-based meals in restaurants.
The association made the announcement via The Brussels Times. It may, in fact, be labeled an outcry that Belgians should help minimize the loss of the potato stock as best as they can.
According to reports, there are about "three-quarters of a million tons of spuds" that may go to waste if people don't consume them like they are being encouraged to.
The association officially directs that every citizen should endeavor to eat "frites at least twice a week!"
While speaking to The Brussels Times, Flemish agriculture minister Hilde Crevits said that with such increased consumption, a great fraction of the potato stock would be used, thus lessening the wastage of "excellent food."
Eating potatoes is not a difficult task for Belgians, considering that they have many recipes that employ the food staple. However, there is no denying that the request may be near impossible for many, and the Belgapom association is aware.
Thus, they have decided to give away "25 tons of potatoes every week to food banks, at least until the end of May."
That's a genius plan considering that it will benefit the less privileged and still help to lessen the loss of potato farmers significantly.
