UK: Competitive sweet potato market
There is a plentiful supply of sweet potatoes on the UK market just now as the Spanish crop is in se…There is a plentiful supply of sweet potatoes on the UK market just now as the Spanish crop is in season, there are also Israeli sweet potatoes available as well as Egyptian.
"The market is competitive at the moment, with product available from three countries, and all offering smooth skinned varieties," explains Damian Weedon from Jacana Produce. "Market conditions are quiet at the moment but there is plenty product available, causing prices to be low."
The US is now out of season for the UK market just now, but the states have been increasing planting in recent years in order to supply the UK and European markets.
The white fleshed varieties are sweeter than the orange ones and are popular with the Asian communities.
The Beuregard sweet potato is popular in the catering industry because it is a large smooth skinned variety, where as the Californian varieties are rigid and there is a lot of waste when preparing them.
At the moment sweet potatoes are selling for £4.50-5.00 for 6kgs going into the wholesale markets.
Sweet potatoes are very fashionable these days, no longer an 'exotic' vegetable. Demand for sweet potatoes tends to increase as the weather cools, just like the other more traditional root vegetables.