French potato producers and cattle breeders have launched a national online platform designed to facilitate the transfer of surplus potatoes into animal feed channels, as parts of the agricultural sector face tightening market conditions.
Announced in Paris on 23 February 2026, the initiative is led by the Union Nationale des Producteurs de Pommes de Terre (UNPT), the Fédération Nationale Bovine (FNB) and the Fédération Nationale des Producteurs de Lait (FNPL).
The platform, accessible at opbovins.unpt.fr, enables anonymous, geolocated and free matchmaking between ruminant breeders and potato growers seeking to offload volumes that no longer find an outlet on the open market. According to the organisers, the service operates without commission or fees and is open to all potato producers and cattle breeders across France, with no duration commitment or minimum volume requirement.
Transactions are described as occasional and governed by a standard contract jointly validated by UNPT, FNB and FNPL. The framework sets out respective responsibilities, quality conditions, pricing arrangements and transport organisation “in order to limit any risk of dispute.” The lots concerned are intended exclusively for animal feed. Recommended transport providers may be mobilised “to secure flows and ensure a professional framework.”
Technical And Economic Rationale
The organisations position the initiative as both a market outlet for surplus production and a feed opportunity for livestock producers.
“Potatoes are an efficient energy feed for cattle,” the statement notes. “Rich in highly digestible starch, they increase the energy density of rations and are particularly attractive economically in a context of volatility in concentrate feed prices.”
It adds that, when properly used, potatoes “help secure productivity and feed costs in dairy or fattening operations.”
In that context, surplus potatoes may serve as a complement or alternative to conventional concentrates for dairy and beef producers.
Coordinated Sector Response
The launch is framed as an example of coordinated action within the broader agricultural network of the Fédération Nationale des Syndicats d’Exploitants Agricoles (FNSEA) and its specialised crop and livestock associations.
The initiative is presented as a way to “organise practical solutions when markets tighten, find answers when farm-level value erodes and strengthen cooperation between sectors.”
“In a fragile period for the entire agricultural sector, choosing collective organisation rather than isolation, and choosing action, are strategic decisions. The sectors have chosen to act in this direction.”
The platform is open nationwide and limited strictly to volumes intended for animal feed, providing a structured contractual framework intended to reduce legal and operational uncertainty for both growers and livestock producers.
