The U.S. Sweet Potato Market: Price Response and Impact of Supply Shocks

Abstract

Sweet potatoes have become increasingly popular among consumers due to their health benefits, and, as a result, sweet potato production has been growing rapidly over the last decade in the United States. However, the industry is facing major challenges, including the risk of disease outbreaks and adverse weather events, which could potentially have a significant impact on the market. However, the economic literature on the sweet potato commodity is limited. This study models the U.S. sweet potato market price response to supply changes and derives elasticity estimates. This information is essential for understanding the sweet potato market and for simulating the impacts of potential supply shocks, given the challenges that the industry is facing. We found that prices are highly sensitive to supply. North Carolina, the largest sweet potato producer in the country, dominates the domestic market and exerts significantly larger influences on market prices than other producing states.

Effect of potassium fertilization on storage root number, yield, and appearance quality of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.)

“…The high nutritional content of fresh sweet potatoes, including carbohydrates, vitamins, dietary fiber, and essential minerals, contributes to their immense popularity among consumers. The substantial market demand has necessitated heightened quality standards for storage roots ( Low et al., 2015 ; Singh et al., 2021 ; Soto-Caro et al., 2022 ). The appearance quality of storage roots is the primary factor that directly influences both the sales price and consumer demand, among factors including nutrition and taste quality ( Soto-Caro et al., 2022 ).…”

“…The substantial market demand has necessitated heightened quality standards for storage roots ( Low et al., 2015 ; Singh et al., 2021 ; Soto-Caro et al., 2022 ). The appearance quality of storage roots is the primary factor that directly influences both the sales price and consumer demand, among factors including nutrition and taste quality ( Soto-Caro et al., 2022 ). Appearance quality includes skin color, size, shape, and uniformity of SRs ( Anderson et al., 2021 ; Lado et al., 2021 ), and the size and uniformity greatly influence profitability, especially when sold by grade.…”