Source: FRESH PLAZA, 9/17/20

Most of North Carolina’s sweet potatoes are still in the ground. “I would say we are behind by two weeks,” says Steven Ceccarelli, President of Farm Fresh Produce. “We started harvesting at the end of August in a very small way, but since the yields were low, we decided to halt harvest temporarily.” At the same time, growers can’t wait much longer to start harvesting in full force due to the uncertainties Mother Nature brings. “In North Carolina, the peak of hurricane season starts in September, and increased activity in the Atlantic this year causes concern. Hurricanes would cause further delay to the harvest of our sweet potato crop, resulting in less time to collect the whole harvest before the first frost,” commented Ceccarelli.”

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