Sweet potatoes lead the 2022 list of top-value crops in the Carolinas
Sweet potatoes lead the list of top-dollar fruit and vegetable commodities in North Carolina and South Carolina, according to USDA agricultural statistics for 2022.
With fresh sales valued at $16.50 per cwt, the value of the North Carolina fresh sweet potato crop was rated at just over $164 million in 2022.
The total sweet potato crop in North Carolina, produced on 83,700 harvested acres, was valued at $225 million in 2022, according to the USDA.
Other top fruit and vegetable commodities in North Carolina were:
- Blueberries: $69.7 million crop value, produced on 7,500 acres and producing 38.1 million pounds valued at $1.84 per pound.
- Fresh watermelons: $56 million crop value, produced on 7,600 harvested acres at a value of $23.80 per cwt.
- Cucumbers: Fresh market crop value of $9.75 million, valued at an average $45 per cwt.
- Bell peppers: Total fresh and processed value of $26.9 million from 2,100 harvested acres at an average price of $74.20 per cwt.
- Pumpkins: Total fresh and processed value of $16.75 million from harvested acres of 3,500 at an average value of $23.3 per cwt.
- Squash: Total value of $14.96 million from harvested acreage of 3,200 and an average value $37.50 per cwt.
Top commodity values reported for South Carolina included:
- Peaches: $98.5 million in crop value from harvested acreage of 15,500 acres at an average value of $1,600 per ton.
- Peanuts: Crop value of $72.8 million from 68,000 harvested acres and an average value of 25.5 cents per pound.
- Watermelon: Crop value of $21.4 million from 3,000 harvested acres and an average of $18.70 per cwt.
