In order to keep pace with increasing demand, sweet potato production has been on the rise in recent years. According to the USDA ERS, the 2015 harvest of 3.1 billion pounds represents the largest harvest in decades.
In fact, sweet potato production is at its highest levels since WWII. Increasing demand is not just occurring in the U.S. Canadian and UK exports from the U.S. are up as well. Top producing U.S. states include North Carolina, California, Mississippi and Louisiana.
More than 130 million tons of sweet potatoes are grown each year. China alone produces around 80 percent of the tonnage annually. Sweet potatoes are an important food crop for both humans and livestock. Top importers are Canada, UK, Netherlands, Japan and France.
This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu.