Łukašenka demands fast-food chain switch fully to local potatoes

August 28, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka has directed the Mak.by fast-food chain, which replaced McDonald’s in Belarus two years ago, to use only domestically grown potatoes, Pul Pervogo, his press office’s unofficial Telegram channel reports.
“Starting October 1, Mak.by must not use any imported potatoes or cutlets. Everything on the menu should be Belarusian. Why are you feeding people this American junk?” he said while visiting the Mahiloŭ region’s Kiraŭsk district.
Łukašenka was confident that this year’s potato harvest would be “sufficient,” pointing to an expansion in cultivated areas. He emphasized that Belarusian potatoes would be in high demand abroad, especially in Russia.
He also called on potato suppliers to “establish clear links with retail chains to ensure that potatoes are delivered to stores on time and that the situation that occurred this spring does not repeat itself,” in a reference to potato shortages earlier this year.
In 2024, Belarus’ potato harvest was 22.5 percent lower than in 2023.
Potato prices drop nearly 5 percent after months of sharp increases
- Economy, Politics, SecurityLithuania appeals to EU for help in returning trucks from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsExiled politician urges Europe not to build wall for BelarusiansThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityLithuania reports a rise in irregular migration amid tensions with BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarusian general blames West for tensions, avoids underlying causesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsPro-Russian influencer Alekseyev granted asylum in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyMore Belarusians register with Poland’s ZUS system for pension and disability benefitsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja calls for greater support for democratic forces in Belarus and MyanmarThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics, Security
- PoliticsCriminal prosecution of dissidents, censorship reported on November 27, 28The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus sentences former Ukraine volunteer fighter Vieramiejčyk to 13 years in prisonThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsUN committee says persecution for white-red-white flags is a violation of right to hold opinionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security, SocietyThree Belarusians arrested in Poland on suspicion of spyingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMinsk outraged by Vilnius’s refusal to engageThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus-EU irregular border crossings hit four-year highThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyBelarus designates 23 as extremists, three as terroristsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus designates music radio station as extremist groupThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- Economy, PoliticsŁukašenka travels to Oman as part of his Asian, African tourThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyHouseholds’ disposable income up 4.5 percent in Q3 – BiełstatThe material is available only to POZIRK+

