The American sweet potato is on the rise. In the US, consumption is growing, but Europe is also showing increased demand for the sweet potato. In 2011, 49% of all sweet potatoes imported to the EU came from the US. This makes the US market leader, and this share increased to 63% last year. Last year, in the Benelux, France and Germany, a total of 46,000 tonnes of sweet potatoes were imported from outside the EU, double the amount of 2009.
Source: Eurostat 2014
More acreage planted compared to 2014
From mid-May until mid-June, sweet potatoes are planted in the US. The first harvest will take place in September, and this will continue until October, depending on the weather. Once again, more sweet potatoes are expected to be harvested this year compared to last year. The first containers are expected to arrive in the Netherlands in early October.
The American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute has completed its first promotional year, and Phaff Export Marketing will continue its work for the American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute in 2015/2016 as well, during which they will also participate in consumer events in France and Belgium.
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