American sweet potato area -30%

The supply of sweet potatoes from North Carolina, the state responsible for two-thirds of the US crop, has fallen significantly this season. “The acreage, and therefore the harvest, has decreased by about 30 to 40 percent,” says Norman Brown of Wada Farms. "It's a drop I've never seen before." High input costs for cultivation and harvesting have forced farmers to reduce their acreage and switch to other crops. In addition, there was the impact of a cold wave. “Because of the cold weather, we couldn't transplant as early as we would have liked, and in the summer it was terribly dry,” Brown said. As a result of the low supply, prices have made quite a big jump compared to last year. Currently, the price for an 18-kilo carton is $19, while the same carton sold for $14 last year. “I don't see prices coming down anytime soon,” Brown said. "We are now in the run-up to Thanksgiving and are seeing quite a bit of movement on the market. I therefore expect prices to remain high." Sweet ...