Bako Sweet projects standout California sweetpotato harvest

Bako Sweet said it expects a strong 2024 sweetpotato harvest in California.

The harvest, now underway, has produced excellent quality sweetpotatoes in a variety of planted colors, including orange, red, white and purple, ensuring consistent supply to meet growing consumer demand, according to a news release.

“Our 2024 crop has shown impressive growth, thanks to ideal transplanting conditions earlier this year,” said Matt McCort, chief operating officer at Bako Sweet, the consumer brand of Bakersfield, Calif.-based Country Sweet Produce. “The cooler spring allowed for strong initial growth with a great size profile that supports both value-added and bulk retail packs. Although we experienced over twenty days of extreme heat in July and August, our crop has continued to perform well.”

The combination of a cool spring and successive days of 105-degree heat slowed the timing of harvest slightly, but Bako Sweet’s approach to harvest management has allowed the company to mitigate potential negative impacts, the release said. The team has leveraged additional harvesting capacity and closely monitored water, shredding and harvest schedules to ensure product quality and sizing consistency.

“By shifting our harvest focus based on size profiles, we are able to optimize the quality of our crop and meet the specific needs of our retail partners,” McCort said. “This season, we’re especially excited about the increased acreage of our white and purple sweetpotatoes, which will enhance our year-round offerings and help us better bridge the transition to peak seasonal demand in Q4 2024.”

With increased planted acres and dynamic harvesting strategies, the company said it is well-positioned to support its retail partners as they prepare for the upcoming holiday seasons.