Germans are known for their love of potatoes, consuming around 63 kilograms per person annually. However, even for the most loyal fans, this year’s harvest has proven excessive, ProAgro Group reports.

According to The Guardian, following the largest potato harvest in a quarter of a century, the surplus has been dubbed the “Kartoffel-Flut,” or “potato flood.” One farmer launched a large-scale initiative in Berlin, inviting residents to designated locations to collect potatoes free of charge.

Significant volumes were distributed to soup kitchens, homeless shelters, kindergartens, schools, churches, and non-profit organizations. The Berlin Zoo also joined the effort, with tonnes of potatoes delivered to feed animals that would otherwise have been discarded or used for biogas production. Two truckloads of potatoes were also sent to Ukraine.

Ordinary city residents — many facing rising living costs — arrived at collection points with sacks, buckets, and handcarts to take part in the distribution.

The unusual campaign lifted spirits across the city at a time when Arctic cold gripped Berlin, disrupted transport, and turned sidewalks into dangerous icy surfaces.

As previously reported, last month French farmers dumped nearly 30 tonnes of potatoes in front of the National Assembly of France to draw attention to the critical situation in the sector. Part of the potatoes was also distributed free of charge to passers-by on the Concorde Bridge as a gesture of appreciation for public support.

Source: ZN.UA