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2/23/2026
German potatoes - The Kartoffel-Flut
They are calling it the Kartoffel-Flut: the potato flood. Germany, the largest producer of potatoes in the European Union, together with
Belgium, France and the Netherlands are enjoying the biggest harvest in a
generation, owing to optimal growing conditions. Last year’s yield was 17%
higher than the long-term average..
In fact, there are so many potatoes—one farm near
Leipzig had a surplus of 4,000 tons—that farmers are giving them away. There
are 200 distribution points in Berlin. Schools, homeless shelters and even the zoo are stocking up.
The potato is filling and calorie-dense relative to
other vegetables. It is used in an extraordinary variety of meals. The organizers
of the giveaway launched a recipe challenge to inspire Kartoffel cooks, sharing tips for soups, salads and plenty
more.
After the potato discovery by Spanish conquerors in the Andes, the potato became a staple food worldwide. Potatoes
now feed over 1 billion people in more than 150 countries. Crop failure can have
disastrous consequences. After the harvest in Ireland was infected and lost in
1845, 1 million people died and almost 3 million emigrated.
To avoid famine, in 1756 Frederick the Great of
Prussia issued a “potato decree” that obliged farmers to plant potatoes on at
least a tenth of their land. Local traditions say that his royal guards
protected potato fields for farmers to think it a precious crop. Today visitors
leave potatoes on Frederick’s tomb at Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. ■
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Article from The Economist (edited)
1/27/2026
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