A summer drought has significantly affected potato farming in Belgium, leading to smaller-than-usual tubers and potentially shorter fries this autumn. The extreme heat and dry conditions this summer have disrupted normal growing patterns, reducing both the quantity and size of the potato harvest. For farmers like Mathieu Comijn from Amay, the impact has been clear—potatoes are not developing as expected, and the quality of the crop has dropped dramatically. One of the main concerns is the bintje, a traditional variety of potato that is widely used in the production of fries. This variety has been especially hard hit by the drought, with some tubers as small as ping-pong balls. Fry factories typically require potatoes larger than 50 millimeters in diameter to produce long, uniform fries. With the smaller tubers currently being harvested, the resulting fries are expected to be significantly shorter—only three to four centimeters in length. Belgium is one of the world's leading exporters of frozen fries, and this year's poor potato yields could pose challenges for the industry. If the harvest continues to be as poor as feared, the reduced supply of suitable potatoes may lead to higher prices for fries as the winter season approaches. This could affect both local consumers and international markets that rely on Belgium's frozen fry exports. The situation highlights the vulnerability of agricultural production to climate change, as extreme weather events become more frequent. Farmers and industry experts are closely monitoring the situation, hoping for a recovery in the coming months, but the long-term effects of this year's drought remain uncertain.