This is the case of Antonio de León and Javier Castellano, who have been testing the crop's cultivation for three years. The president of Asaja-Cádiz, Pedro Gallardo, and the secretary general, Luis Ramírez, have taken advantage of this to try learning everything about the tuber. "This is not a new bet for the province, as the crop was first introduced some years ago, but now it has started booming because of the increase in the demand from foreign markets, especially France, the UK and Germany, as well as some Eastern European countries." They add that "the province has about 2,100 hectares devoted to sweet potato cultivation, whose average yield is 30-40 tons per hectare." Another point that they highlight is that it is "a very social crop, because a large part of the cultivation work is done by hand and, therefore, generates employment."
However, sweet potato cultivation is no bed of roses, as explained by the associate of Asaja-Cádiz, Antonio de León, and by Javier Castellano. "It is a difficult crop that is sensitive to the weather conditions and which should only be cultivated by specialists. Any mistake is expensive and there are huge risks, given the high costs of labor and irrigation. It is a crop for the brave."
Source: diariodecadiz.es
