It's tradition for Belgians to eat frites (fries) once a week but they are now being urged to double their intake to help revive a struggling industry. 

In mid-March, Belgium shut down restaurants, shops, bars and 5,000 frites stands until at least 4 May as part of its COVID-19 lockdown measures, resulting in a dramatic fall in sales of frites. 

Since then, 750,000 potatoes have piled up in warehouses across the country and the drop in demand for the vegetable could lead to the industry losing 125 million euros ($136 million) this year. 

However, Romain Cools, who is head of the potato growers' union, Belgapom, believes there is a simple solution to solve the problem. 

"Traditionally, Belgians eat frites once a week and it's always a festive moment," he said. "Now we're asking them to eat frozen frites at home twice a week."

But that won't be enough to make up for the shortfall in international trade. Every year, Belgium, which is one of the world's top exporters of potato products, ships 1.5 million tons to 100 different countries.

"This is the first time in my 30-year career that I've needed to call on the government for help," added Cools. "The potato sector is so important. It should be helped because it's a flagship for the whole industry." 

In a bid to avoid wasting the nation's surplus of potatoes, Belgapom has set up a program that will send 25 tons of the vegetable to food banks. Some businesses are also working to export a portion of their supplies to Central America and Africa, where demand is still high.

Industry chiefs are also exploring other avenues to get rid of excess potato stocks, including working with starch factories, feeding livestock and even producing green electricity. 

For hundreds of years, France and Belgium have both claimed to have invented frites, but it remains a more popular tradition in Belgium, where people often eat them with a dollop of mayonnaise and a beer.

According to Belgium's National Union of Fry Makers, Belgians consume on average 38 kilograms of fresh potatoes and 6 to 7 kilograms of processed potatoes at home every year.

Last year, the potato industry was booming in Belgium after a 7.5 percent rise in exports, but the outbreak of COVID-19 halted exports to China, before orders also dried up across Europe as a result of widespread lockdown measures.

Prior to the announcement of Belgium's lockdown in March, people rushed to shops and supermarkets to stockpile potatoes. But since then, Belgapom has revealed demand has fallen dramatically after fast-food chains were shut and people stayed away from the outside "friktoken" shacks, which were allowed to stay open, where they usually purchase frites.

But there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. This week, the country has revealed plans to lift the home confinement order for the majority of its 11.5 million population and there is hope within the potato industry that some restaurants will soon be allowed to reopen their doors.