Sweet potato - Photo by Drew Avery
Sweet potato originates from North and South America, but its highest production is in China.
Sweet potato is usually grown for the sweet tasting tuberous roots. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable.
In 2010 the estimated world production of Sweet potatoes was 106,569,572 Metric Tons (source FAOSTAT). This corresponds to about 15 kg per person (in 2010 the world had about 6.9 billion persons).
Names
Scientific
Ipomoea batatas
English
Sweet potato
Dutch
Bataat
Zoete aardappel
Spanish
Batata
Boniato
Camote
Papa dulce
French
Patate douce
German
Batate
Knollenwinde
Süßkartoffel
Weiße Kartoffel
Italian
Patata dolce
Taxonomy
Order
Solanales
Family
Convolvulaceae
Genus
Ipomoea
Species
Ipomoea batatas (Sweet potato)
Crop categories
Alcohol production
Leaf vegetables
Major crops
Root vegetables
Staple food
Subtropical crops
Tropical crops
Tuber vegetables
Vegetables
Pictures
Sweet potato - Photo by jessicareeder
Sweet potato - Photo by TounoTouji
Sweet potato - Photo by whologwhy