The traditional steak and fries soon replaced by steak salad?
This is what is emerging on the plates of the French in light of the latest recommendations from the industrial potato sector.
This one, which supplies not the supermarket stalls, but McCain, Mousline, Lunor or Vico to make frozen fries or crisps for the house or the restaurants, called on Tuesday the French farmers to lower their next 15% by 15%. potato plantations.
Instead, the inter-profession grouped within the UNPT recommends planting winter crops (carrots, cabbage, etc.), cereals such as wheat, or potatoes intended for making starch.
A turnaround, as demand has been on the rise in recent years.
At the origin of the problem, the small form of the 200,000 coffee shops in France.
The out-of-home sector accounts for 20% of the outlets for French production (4.7 million tonnes in 2019) of potatoes.
Even if the appetite for fresh potatoes has grown at home, it is therefore impossible to keep the same level of production.
“
For the current campaign, industrial activity has resumed, but at a rate of 85% on average.
It should not return to its pre-crisis level for several months, ”
underlines the UNPT.
Already this year, the French fields found themselves with 500,000 tonnes on their hands, the closure of restaurants obliges.
The challenge remains simple: avoid depressing prices, a 1% overproduction translating into a 7% drop in income for the producer.
Not enough to actually keep the fry.