Orange sweet potatoes on a white background
Food - Drink
This State Produces The Most Sweet Potatoes In The US
By CAITLYN NICHOLS
The sweet potato has seen a huge surge in popularity since the early 2000's, beloved for its health benefits and versatility in both sweet and savory dishes. These tubers favor warm growing climates and are native to the southern U.S., and surprisingly, the state that grows the most sweet potatoes is on the smaller side.
California, North Carolina, and Mississippi largely contribute to American sweet potato production, but North Carolina beats out the other two bigger states as the number one producer. This state produces 61% of all U.S. sweet potatoes, adding up to approximately 2 billion pounds worth about $324 million in 2019 alone.
Tobacco used to be one of North Carolina’s most major crops, but when demand for tobacco decreased, farmers turned their attention to sweet potatoes, leading to the state's huge output today. International exports of this veggie are in high demand, so sweet potato eaters around the world might owe their thanks to North Carolina.