The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has stepped in to address concerns raised by potato growers regarding changes made by fries manufacturer Farm Frites. The company recently announced a new discount system for potatoes with quality defects, which caused significant unrest among growers due to the potential financial impact, especially given the lower quality of this year's potato harvest.

Initially, Farm Frites set a very short response deadline of just five days for growers to agree to the new terms, leading to complaints filed with various organizations, including the Dutch Agriculture and Horticulture Association (LTO) and the Dutch Producer Organization for Ware Potatoes (POC Nederland). In response to these concerns, ACM facilitated discussions that resulted in Farm Frites extending the decision-making period for growers.

As part of the adjustments, growers now have more time to consider the new discount system, and those who have already agreed to the changes can reconsider their decisions. The revised system aims to reduce the number of rejected potatoes, thereby providing growers with a fairer opportunity to assess their options.

ACM emphasized the importance of early discussions among participants in the agricultural sector to prevent similar situations in the future, particularly when adverse weather conditions affect harvest quality. The authority also highlighted the Dutch Act regarding unfair trading practices, which aims to protect farmers and growers from unilateral contract changes and late payments.