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A growing global potato shortage is affecting french fries, from Japan to Kenya

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  • A growing global potato shortage is affecting french fries, from Japan to Kenya

    January 8, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. EST

    By Miriam Berger

    There’s a growing global potato shortage — a real problem for a planet addicted to french fries and chips.

    ... In Japan, McDonald’s locations stopped offering large and medium-size french fry orders late last month, after pandemic-related supply chain issues and floods in the Port of Vancouver delayed potato shipments.

    Days later, South Africa’s leading makers of potato chips warned that potatoes were in disturbingly short supply after a bad frost and excessive rains led to low local yields, on top of global sourcing shortages.

    In Kenya this month, Kentucky Fried Chicken locations struck french fries, known locally as chips, from menus, as virus-related shipping delays held up containers full of potatoes for more than a month.

    ... China, Russia, India and the United States are the world’s top potato producers. But last year, U.S. farmers had to destroy a glut of millions of potatoes after lockdowns and stay-at-home orders led to a steep decline in demand, including from restaurants.

    ... Japan is the United States’ largest overseas market for potatoes, according to the USDA.

    A number of other popular items, including marmite and cream cheese, have gone through periods of scarcity amid supply chain disruptions wrought by the coronavirus pandemic and extreme weather.

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