Sweet Potatoes An Overview of the Sweet Potato Industry in Georgia

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Sweet Potatoes An Overview of theSweet Potato
Industryin Georgia
Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum
Office Dr. Frank Flanders and Catrina
Kennedy October 2006
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Objectives

• Students will be able to
• Describe different varieties of Sweet Potatoes.
• Identify Georgias ranking among other states in
  Sweet Potato production.
• Identify different products that are made from
  Sweet Potatoes.

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Why is the Sweet Potato Industry Important

• Sweet potatoes are the sixth most important food
  crop in the world.
• They are a popular vegetable and cash crop in
  Georgia
• Sweet potatoes may also play an important role in
  the future energy supply from biomass production,
  approaching 782 gallons of alcohol/acre.

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Sweet Potato Products
Stock Feed Meal Hog Feed   Stains Dyes
Paints Medicine Paste Alcohol Ink Cotton
Synthetic Silk Paper

• Flour
• Starch
• Sugar Molasses
• Tapioca
• Chocolate
• Dried
• Powder Breakfast
• Dinner Mints
• Instant Coffee
• Lemon Drops

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Georgias Commodity Value
Item Rank by sale Sales (1000) Percent of total sales
Poultry and eggs 1 2,780,214 56.6
Vegetables, melons, and potatoes 2 383,556 7.8
Cotton and cotton seed 3 318,013 6.5
Nursery, greenhouse, floriculture 4 315,324 6.4
Other crops and hay 5 246,936 5
Cattle and calves 6 240,070 4.9
Milk and other dairy products from cows 7 212,720 4.3
Fruits, tree nuts and berries 8 122,151 2.5
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas 9 102,464 2.1
Tobacco 10 89,058 1.8
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US Sweet Potato Production
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Types of Sweet Potatoes

• There are seven major varieties of sweet
  potatoes
• Jersey, Kotobuki (Japanese), Okinawan (Purple),
  Papa Doc, Beauregard, Garnet, and Jewel.
• Beauregard, Garnet, and Jewel are normally called
  "yams" in the United States.

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Interesting Facts

• Sweet potatoes have the highest nutrient profile
  of all the fruits and vegetables.
• There are two types of sweet potato the pale
  yellow with a dry flesh and the dark orange (yam)
  with a moist flesh. Both are available year
  round.

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Assessment

• Sweet potatoes are the ___ most important food
  crop in the world.
• Where does Georgia rank in the production of
  Sweet Potatoes?
• Where do Sweet Potatoes rank among other
  commodities in Georgia?
• Name three different types of Sweet Potatoes?
• What are some products that have been made from
  Sweet Potatoes?

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Answers

1. 6th
2. 6th
3. 2nd
4. Jersey, Kotobuki (Japanese), Okinawan (Purple),
   Papa Doc, Beauregard, Garnet, and Jewel.
5. Flour, Starch, Sugar Molasses, etc.