Interest in sweet potatoes is on the rise and crops are expanding. Harvesting is in full swing in the Veneto region despite the rain in September.
"The market has been rather positive so far: demand was good and prices were overall satisfactory," explains Daniele Pavan from OPO Veneto.
"Potatoes are smaller this year as the summer drought did affect their growth, but quality is good and demand is higher," adds Giuseppe Tosatto, member of OPO Veneto.
Research focused on sweet potatoes is also being carried out with the objective of improving cultivation techniques and product quality. Excellent information has been provided by the Sospado experimental research project developed by Dafnae at the University of Padua in collaboration with OPO Veneto.
This vegetable is advertised for its nutritional properties and versatility, as it is ideal to prepare exciting dishes suitable for new diet "trends". It is of significant importance that the Center for Science in the Public Interest in the US declared sweet potatoes as the healthiest vegetable.
Demand is particularly high from those countries where sweet potatoes are a traditional crop, part of their basic diet. It must also be stressed that, according to FAO data, sweet potatoes are the fifth most cultivated crop in the world. Their importance is increasing in Italy as well.