While sweet potatoes remain an increasingly popular product in many countries, some markets have struggled to profit from the crop this year due to rising production costs and labor and water shortages caused by the russia-Ukraine war. In the Netherlands, importers think prices must rise to make it worth selling. South African growers are also feeling the pinch of rising costs, north American growers complain that their markets are oversupplied, and home-grown sweet potatoes are becoming increasingly popular in the Netherlands and Germany.
Netherlands: Production will have to increase further to cover costs.
Portuguese sweet potato sellers in the Netherlands are more active. "With fewer blockades than in previous years, I was expecting more stable sales this year, but we still managed to get a positive result. Organic sweet potatoes are also doing well.
Germany: Growing sweet potatoes is becoming more popular
Sweet potato farming is becoming increasingly popular in Germany, according to an organic wholesaler in southern Germany. Compared with the previous year, German sweet potato prices and demand remained stable, with little price fluctuation. They are somewhat high at the beginning of the season, but fall slightly in the middle of the season and rise again at the end of the season.
France: sweet potatoes sell well
The French sweet potato season ends in mid-March. Some producers in the south of the country have suffered some losses this rainy season, forcing some growers to discard a small portion of their harvest. At present on the French shelves, mainly from Spain sweet potato, its sales is good.
Spain: Sweet potato production will decline
In Spain and Portugal, the 20204/23 harvest is expected to be significantly reduced. One is that South America and South Africa sell their products in Europe at prices that make it impossible for Spanish or Portuguese sweet potatoes to compete. Second, a drought in Andalusia's fields this year has reduced the area planted with sweet potatoes. Estimates suggest that this year's Spanish sweet potato harvest could be down 40% from last year.
South Africa: Rising costs hit growers hard
Sweet potato farms have been hit hard by rising production costs and another rise in fuel prices. South Africa now exports and repackages sweet potatoes in bulk to retailers in the European Union, The UK and the Middle East, a newer trade driven by a handful of growers who have mastered the process of preserving them to extend their shelf life.
North America: Sweet potato Supply exceeds Demand
There are too many sweet potatoes in North America, according to one grower and shipper in North Carolina, who points out that there are especially many in North Carolina. Prices are heavily discounted during peak demand and the holiday season. But all planting costs have gone up, doubled or tripled in some areas, and labor costs have increased again this season.