Europe is facing a potato shortage after this summer’s record heat and drought destroyed an estimated 3.5 million tonnes of the crop, driving up prices and threatening to make french fries smaller and more expensive, according to a report from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) published Thursday.
Extreme heat and drought across Britain, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands cut potato yields by as much as 20%, with total production across the five countries expected to fall by more than 3.5 million tonnes. ECIU estimated the resulting losses at €498 million to €818 million ($572 million to $940 million).
“As one of Europe’s thirstiest crops, it was inevitable that the potato harvest would be hit hard,” said ECIU land, food and farming analyst Tom Lancaster, adding that farmers need a stable climate to keep growing the staple without unsustainable losses as extreme weather becomes more frequent.
Potato prices have surged in response. Belgian free-market prices, which had fallen to near zero in April amid an oversupply from last year’s bumper harvest, climbed above €200 a tonne. German prices rose from €15 a tonne in June to €240.
The damage compounds an existing supply correction: after 2025’s glut drove prices down, farmers had already cut planted acreage for this season by roughly 3.6 million tonnes’ worth of output, leaving the market with little cushion when the heatwave hit. Other summer crops also suffered, with yields tracking as much as 14% below the five-year average, according to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
Growers are also contending with a 15% US tariff on most EU imports imposed last year, which has squeezed European frozen-fry exporters and added further strain to the sector.
