World patterns and trends in sweet potato production

Abstract

Nearly all sweet potatoes are grown in developing countries, about 80% in China alone. Since the early 1960's, sweet potato production has fallen sharply in developed countries. It has increased modestly in most developing areas, significantly so in Africa. Interdisciplinary field studies are needed to determine the causes underlying these trends and the future prospects of the sweet potato as a food, a livestock feed and a raw material for industry.