Louisiana's stored sweet potato crop is in very good condition this season, and there should be an excellent selection through June.

“The crop is larger this year due to an increase in acreage and higher yields," said Rene Simon, executive director of the Baton Rouge, LA-based Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission. "The higher yields are attributable to a good growing season.The Louisiana sweet potato crop is larger this year due to an increase in acreage and higher yields. (Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission) It is also due to the excellent job that our farmers do at producing an excellent crop of high-quality sweet potatoes.”

Simon anticipates that the overall Louisiana sweet potato acreage will remain about the same this year as compared to last year. Acreage in southern Louisiana, however, will see a decrease because of the closing of the McCall’s canning plant.

“McCall Farms is closing its canning plant in New Iberia, which will impact our growers, especially in southern Louisiana,” he explained. “They will have to find new outlets for their canner or processor sweet potatoes. We at the commission are working diligently to identify these companies to ensure that our growers can stay in business and remain profitable.”

He also noted that northern Louisiana farmers are expanding.

The mission of the commission is to promote the consumption of sweet potatoes, in particular Louisiana sweet potatoes, by educating consumers on the item’s many nutritional attributes and its amazing versatility in recipes. The administrative office is located in the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry, and it operates under the direction of Commissioner Michael G. Strain.

There is also excitement in Louisiana over some new sweet potato varieties. Growers there are in their third year with commercial volumes of the Orleans, a managed variety.

Simon said it’s a great variety in that it yields more No. 1-size potatoes for the fresh market, and it has all of the qualities of the Beauregard in appearance and flavor. “But it produces a more uniform set,” he said. “Growers get more money on the fresh market than they do on the processing side.”

The Beauregard, however, continues to be the leading variety grown in Louisiana.

The only export market that Louisiana farmers are currently engaged in is Canada. Simon said that market is growing nicely with steady sales.

The Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission is sponsoring a consumer contest in partnership with Louisiana Cookin’ magazine called Louisiana Yam to find the best sweet potato recipes in the country. The entries can utilize fresh, frozen or canned sweet potatoes.

The commission knows that home cooks and food lovers across the United States cook amazing sweet potato dishes. The contest reaches out to consumers to learn how people are using sweet potatoes in home kitchens. Five categories — fresh, canned, frozen, culinary student and professional chef — of winners will each receive $500, and a grand prize winner will be selected to receive $1,000.

Another sponsored event is a broker display contest, in which brokers may use any theme they choose in their display, which will be judged based on a combination of consumer eye appeal and creativity.

Sweet potato demand continues to grow year after year, and adding to the excitement of a growing market is the vast variety of ways that sweet potatoes are being used today, Simon said. “People now recognize them as a powerhouse of nutrition, and they’re also delicious.”