ROOT CROPS - World Food: Production and Use - page 173

Figure 5.14. Map of yam-producing countries. (Data abstracted from http: // faostat.fao.org /
faostat.)
harvested, stored, and eaten similarly. This is also true for boniato, but internationally
there are fewer varieties of this crop, although in local areas numerous varieties may
be available. All are grown from tropical to temperate climates with good productivity.
In the United States the names sweet potato and yam are often used interchange-
ably, although as noted above they are completely different plants. Most yams are pro-
duced, sold, and used locally while sweet potatoes are processed and caned. In both
these cases the sweet potato may be labeled as being yam and visa versa. Because of
exports of various tuber products, the terms may also be used incorrectly in other
parts of the world particularly outside of Africa.
China is the major producer of potato followed by the Russian Federation, Ukraine,
and India. Poland, Belarus, and the United States are also major producers. Africa pro-
duces more than 95 percent of the world's yams with Nigeria being by far the largest
producer in Africa followed by Ghana and Cˆ te d'Ivoire.
China is also a major producer of sweet potatoes, producing 80 percent of the
world's supply. However, sweet potato is both commonly grown and eaten in all
parts of the world from tropical to temperate regions. Yams are grown extensively in
Asia and the Pacific islands and are also important in Africa.
5.5.9 World Trade in Tuber Crops
As can be seen in Figure 5.12, most countries in the world produce potatoes. It is logical
to assume that the major producers would be large countries and that major producers
would be in South America where the potato originated. Figure 5.12, shows that neither
of these is true in that the major producers are in Europe and Asia and that some smaller
countries for example, Ukraine and Poland, are major producers.