Yams and sweet potatoes are easily confused and yet they are very different crops, including in global trade. Yams are starchier are more like potatoes, whereas sweet potatoes are sweet. Roughly the same volume of yams and sweet potatoes are produced by the world’s largest producers. Yet yams are mostly produced in Africa and consumed locally, whereas sweet potatoes also have roots in Asia and North America.
Moreover, sweet potatoes have been a growing export business. The U.S. is the largest exporter, while China and Vietnam now compete against each other for the number two slot. Their exports have been more variable with Vietnam joining the fray more recently and pulling ahead of China in the most recently available data.&n...
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. and Chinese officials are expected to discuss agriculture and non-tariff trade barriers ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington later this month, potentially opening the door to additional U.S. agricultural purchases or improved marke...
The U.S. will observe Labor Day on Monday, 7 September. U.S. markets and the WPI office will be closed that day. The next edition of Ag Perspectives will be published Tuesday, 8 September...
Key Takeaways: Drought and changes to the multi-year trend in cow slaughter and retention have the potential to dramatically alter beef trim supplies and pricing, and WPI specifically models three different drought scenarios for fall 2026. Based on our models, WPI expects 90 percent lean...
