Consumer demands for sweet potatoes have risen by 40% since2008. Production of North Carolina sweet potatoes has increased to matchdemand. However, production dropped in 2013 when inclement weather lead to adecrease in planted acres.
In 2014 North Carolina sweet potato crop received a higheracreage than usual due to returns from the rain soaked 2013 crop, returningproduction to normal quality. “Acreageusually runs from 65,000 – 68,000 in range. Increases have been implementedover the years to match consumer demand, but this year’s volume increase comes mainlyfrom the rain last year.”
2014 also saw a 41% increase in total shipments includingexports. North Carolina exports sweet potatoes to many different counties, including the United Kingdom and Western Europe. “Our export amounts are steadily rising,” explains Langdon, “as now 18% of our total production is exported.”
For more information please contact:
Sue Langdon
Executive Director
North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission
Tel: 919-894-1067
Fax: 919-894-7018
sweetsue@ncsweetpotatoes.com
http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/