Potato Processing Industry Belgium sets a new Record

The remarkable growth of the Belgian potato-processing sector in the past few decades has continued in 2015.

In 2015 just under 4 million tonnes of potatoes were processed into fresh or frozen fries, mashed potato products, crisps, precooked potatoes, flakes and granulate. With 3,970,595 tonnes of processed potatoes, the sector experienced 4.4% growth compared to 2014.

What is remarkable in the annual overview of Belgapom, the Belgian association for the potato trade and processing sectors, is the continued rise in investments: € 167,207,415 (+ 44.7%) was a record sum invested. With the intended expansion of the sector on the horizon in the next few years, there is little chance of this trend reversing soon.

The growth is above all apparent in the production of frozen (+5.3%) and fresh fries (+2%), but the volume of other products (such as potato croquettes, crisps, flakes and others) once again increased (+1.3%).

After years of growth in the number of jobs, 2015 seems to have brought stagnation, thus confirming the trend of further far-reaching automation.

This growth of the Belgian potato-processing industry reflects the rising global demand for processed potatoes. The potato is increasingly considered a staple food. The fact that this source of carbohydrates, vitamin C and potassium can be grown with less land and water than cereals and rice also makes the potato popular in countries where this was not previously the case. Potato production in developing countries is increasing sharply, as is the demand for user-friendly potato products. Thus at the beginning of 2015, the Chinese government announced that the potato will more and more replace rice and noodles in meals and this trend is also continuing in India.

A rich tradition, from growing potatoes to the chip shop culture

Belgium lies in the middle of the European production area and it can count on skilled potato growers who produce high-quality potatoes with an eye to being processed into fries, crisps or other products.

The Belgian potato chain is furthermore made up of numerous family businesses that are active in trade, supply and processing, a dynamism that from 27 to 29 November 2016 will once again be exhibited during Interpom Primeurs, the international potato trade fair, at Kortrijk XPO.

A picture of this traditional yet young sector in the Belgian agro-food chain was immortalised by Belgapom in the book “The potato in Belgium, land of fries” that was published last year.

Together for sustainable growth

The growth of the Belgian potato chain ensures that not just the processing industry, but also the producers and the companies that provide goods and services can further develop as a cluster.

The project ‘Together for sustainable growth’ launched by Belgapom is central to this. The project tries to steer the entire potato chain towards further, but above all sustainable growth.

Belgapom has to this end – together with the other partners in the chain and the Belgian research and test centres –committed to a few interesting projects such as the Reskia project (low-residue germination inhibition), Bintje Plus (a multiple phythophthora-resistant Bintje) and Ipot (a web application that can closely follow and adjust the growth of potatoes via satellite).

James Bint, with a license to fry

Belgapom and its companies strive to further develop the image of ‘real Belgian fries’ all over the world. In no other country in the world is the consumption of fries as deeply ingrained in the culture as in Belgium. Even German Chancellor Merkel recently escaped from a European summit to grab a portion of fries in a Brussels chip shop.

James Bint, a cartoon character with a ‘license to fry’ will in the coming years remain the global ambassador for Belgian fries. In 2016 a campaign is planned to get to know the figure of James Bint even better together with the Belgian chip shops. What’s more, the successful campaign with the chip shop at the Belgian pavilion during the World Fair in Milan will be continued with special offers all over the world. James Bint will be present during the royal economic mission to Indonesia that is leaving next week.

As food.be puts it: Belgium, small country, great food … starting with chocolate, beer and … fries!