FOOD NEWS
The U.S. State That Produces The Most Sweet Potatoes
By Nico Danilovich
The sweet potato root can be spindly, pointed, or oblong with copper skin and flesh ranging from brown to white—shades of purple, red, orange, and yellow in between—and can be cooked, whole or mashed, then eaten as is or added to dishes. When Americans, in particular, purchase this versatile vegetable, there's a strong chance they're coming from this state.
North Carolina is the leading producer of sweet potatoes in the United States, achieving that honor in 1971 and has held onto the ranking ever since. Around 100,000 acres of sweet potatoes are harvested in North Carolina each year, which is more than other top-producing states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and California combined.
Sweet potatoes do best in tropical yet temperate environments, and the crop requires four warm-weather months and light, crumbly soil like clay and sand in order to yield plentifully. North Carolina's climate is hot and moist, which enables cultivation from spring through fall, and its soil is richly fertile, making it perfectly suited for sweet potatoes.