NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — Sweet potatoes remain one of the South’s most recognizable specialty crops, and they hold a prominent place on holiday tables across the United States. For U.S. producers, the crop represents both cultural heritage and an increasingly important revenue stream, driven by steady domestic consumption and expanding export markets.
According to Josh Maples with Mississippi State University, national sweet potato acreage topped 150,000 acres in 2024, with North Carolina planting 87,000 acres — 58 percent of U.S. acreage — and Mississippi following at 32,000 acres. California added another 18,000. Production in Mississippi is concentrated around Vardaman, while eastern counties anchor North Carolina’s supply chain. Louisiana, once a major producer, has declined sharply due to high costs, pest pressure, and an aging grower base.
Marketing remains a core challenge. Premium U.S. No. 1 roots capture the best prices, while canners and jumbos bring lower returns. This year, Mississippi growers faced higher shares of small roots, tightening margins.
Export growth offers a bright spot: shipments rose from 3 percent of total use in 2000 to 21 percent by 2022, with Canada, the U.K., and the Netherlands leading demand.
Looking ahead, producers remain focused on quality grades, marketing opportunities, and input cost management, which continue to shape the crop’s profitability.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Strong demand supports sweet potatoes, but grading challenges and rising costs weigh on returns for Southeastern growers.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Specialist
Recognizing phosphorus and potash as critical minerals underscores their importance in crop production and food security, providing producers with an added layer of risk protection.
November 06, 2025 03:40 PM
·
Pork producers should prioritize health and productivity gains, hedge feed and hogs selectively, and watch Brazil’s export pace and China’s sow policy for price signals.
November 06, 2025 03:03 PM
·
For tight margins, contract grazing leverages existing acres into new income streams and spreads risk. Here are some tips for row crop farmers looking to diversify.
November 06, 2025 02:45 PM
·
It started as a simple service project for 4-H — collect some shoes, help a few people. But for Franklin Parish High School senior Eli Rogers, it has turned into something much bigger.
November 06, 2025 12:15 PM
·
Texas Cattle Feeders Association Chairman Robby Kirkland explains how the ongoing U.S.-Mexico border closure impacts feed yards that rely on Mexican cattle due to the New World Screwworm.
November 06, 2025 12:01 PM
·
While the U.S.-China framework for soybean trade is in place, Ohio farmer Chris Gibbs tells us he will believe it when he sees it.
November 06, 2025 11:38 AM
·
Global nitrogen and phosphate prices remain high despite improved supply fundamentals, with limited Chinese exports and stronger fall applications tightening availability.
November 06, 2025 11:16 AM
·
Record output, larger stocks, and softer exports point to a well-supplied domestic ethanol market as harvest progresses.
November 06, 2025 10:53 AM
·
The Court may limit emergency tariff powers, complicating a key bargaining tool; ag could see shifts in input costs and export dynamics as China, Brazil, and India talks evolve.
November 06, 2025 10:04 AM
·
