The climate crisis is raising concerns about a phenomenon known as "friteflation"—a term used to describe the potential rise in the price of fries, particularly in Belgium. This worry is growing due to the expected decline in European potato production, with a projected 25% drop in 2026. Last year, the four main potato-producing countries in northwest Europe—Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands—harvested a record 27.7 million tons of edible potatoes. However, the surplus led to a sharp drop in prices, prompting farmers to plant less this year. Belgium reduced its planting area by 17%, the Netherlands by 15%, Germany by 11%, and France by 10%. This year, however, droughts and repeated heatwaves have threatened the harvest. Industry experts in these four countries expect to harvest about 20.7 million tons of edible potatoes, a 25% decrease from 2025. Yields are expected to be 21% lower than the average of the previous five years. Belgium is likely to be the most affected, with a 21% drop in yield, followed by France (-13%), the United Kingdom (-11%), and Germany (-10%). In Belgium, the impact of droughts is particularly severe. The poor potato harvests will reduce the amount that producers can deliver and strain the contract system the sector relies on. Droughts hinder the growth of potatoes, especially the bintje variety, which is traditionally used for Belgian fries. These potatoes need to reach a size of at least 50 millimeters to be processed into fries. According to producers, by the end of summer, only about half of the harvest met the required size. Extreme weather conditions have also affected other summer crops across Europe, which were at critical stages of growth. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre estimates that yields of major crops such as soybeans (-15% compared to the average of the last five years), sugar beets (-11%), and silage maize (-14%) are expected to be significantly impacted across the Union. Although Belgium accounts for only 8.4% of the total European potato production in 2023, it is the world's leading exporter of frozen fries. Since its processing industry is almost entirely export-oriented (about 90%), a decrease in the quantity of potatoes processed could lead to a rise in the price of frozen fries beyond Belgium. Bernard Lefèvre, president of the National Union of Friturists, remarked, "Apart from a disease in the royal family, for the Belgian, the second worst news that can happen is that the fries cone increases in price."