The first organic sweet potatoes from Lower Saxony, Germany, were harvested in week 39. "After the subsequent rainfall, we have now paused the harvest for a short time. We don't expect to start the main harvest until around 12 October, as the tubers still need a little more mass, which in turn is due to the few hours of sunshine in spring and summer," says Sönke Strampe, an organic sweet potato producer based in Bad Bevensen. In contrast to the table potatoes, the wetness did not lead to any significant problems with rot or the like with sweet potatoes.
In 2016, Strampe tried his luck with sweet potato cultivation: after the first successful trials, the cultivation capacity increased slightly each year, so that the root vegetable is now growing and thriving on a total of almost ten hectares. The aim is to maintain this capacity for the time being, as there is a lack of storage capacity for further expansion. Strampe: "We have noticed that demand has gradually increased over the years. We generally offer our sweet potatoes until June of the following year and see another significant increase in demand, especially from spring, i.e. March/April. December is the worst month from a marketing perspective, as most Christmas dishes have nothing to do with sweet potatoes."
Sönke and Anna Strampe have been growing organic sweet potatoes for around eight years. A milestone in the history of the young company was being named Organic Farmer of the Year in the Ceres Award 2022.
Recovery of the market
The Bioland potatoes ultimately find their way to organic consumers via several marketing channels. Selected organic wholesalers in northern and central Germany are supplied, while some of the yields are also marketed directly via the company's own online shop. "There have already been many pre-orders in online retail, which is definitely a good sign. Last year, inflation and lower purchasing power played a negative role, especially in the second phase of the season. However, as we have a broad enough base, we were able to absorb this well in various ways. We are now feeling the effects of inflation less, so the organic market has recovered to some extent," explains Strampe.
Strampe grows a total of five sweet potato varieties, including the main variety Orléans (pictured) as well as Bonita and Sakura.
The dedicated organic farmer started out with sweet potatoes, later adding Hokkaido and beetroot to his portfolio. "In addition to the standard Hokkaido, we also tried to grow spaghetti, butternut and ornamental pumpkins. However, demand for these varieties was too low and storage was too challenging. The latest addition to our range was beetroot, which we are now growing for the second year. In the medium term, we are also considering adding organic yellow onions to our portfolio," Strampe concludes.
In addition to sweet potatoes, the company also produces organic Hokkaido and beetroot on two hectares each. Strampe sees synergy effects above all in the employment of his staff over a longer period of time.
Photo credit: Strampe Agrar GbR
For more information:
Sönke Strampe
Strampe Agrar GbR
An der Aue 12
29549 Bad Bevensen
Phone: 0151/12113722
[email protected]
www.soenkes-suesskartoffeln.de