MCDONALD’S Holdings Co. (Japan) Ltd. has embarked on the emergency measure of only offering small-sized french fries to customers as a protracted labor dispute at U.S. West Coast ports has contributed to long delays in imports.

    The fast-food chain said it had routed 1,600 tons through ports on the U.S. East Coast, which should begin arriving in late January. Those steps alone, however, are not sufficient to prevent a shortage.

    “Unfortunately without this sales restriction step, we would run the danger of running out of fries at some of our stores around the end of the year,” said McDonald’s Japan spokeswoman Kokoro Toyama.

    Toyama said the company, which has 3,100 stores in Japan, was not placing any limit on the number of small-sized fries a customer may buy but the resumption of medium-sized and large-sized fries remains unclear.

    Container ports along the U.S. West Coast have been experiencing severe delays since October, in part due to lengthy labor talks between 20,000 dockworkers and the Pacific Maritime Association, representing terminal operators and shipping lines at 29 West Coast ports.

    A shortage of tractor-trailer chassis used for hauling cargo from the ports to warehouses, record levels of imports into the United States, rail service delays and the advent of super-sized container vessels delivering greater cargo volumes have also contributed to the problem.

    Japan is the biggest Asian market for U.S.-made frozen potato products, importing US$336 million worth last year. (SD-Agencies)