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Golden opportunity for investment in the sweet potato value chain – a new investment guide for CARIFORUM countries

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  1. It explores innovative financial instruments available for the sweet potato value chain in the Caribbean to mitigate risks and take advantage of the fast growing investment potential in the sector;
  2. Call for greater reliance on domestically produced fresh or processed sweet potato rather than imports;
  3. More investment in technology needed to enhance sustainability, increase productivity and boost profits in the Caribbean sweet potato sector;
  4. The sweet potato sector in the Caribbean provides many investment opportunities in boosting  productivity, enhancing production processes and generating and marketing multiple products;
  5. The Sweet potatoes is a drought tolerant crop actively promoted to mitigate climate stress;
  6. With better access to finance Caribbean farmers could benefit from the growing demand for sweet potatoes in the lucrative UK, US, and EU markets;
  7. Growing the export market for sweet potatoes in the Caribbean will heavily depend on support for investment from financial institutions and the efficient management of the value chain;
  8. Access to affordable finance is the most critical constraint that inhibits the growth of the sweet potato sector in the CARIFORUM region.
  9. Favourable climate for investment;
  10. Favourable climate conditions;
  11. Import substitution in the region;
  12. Potential Export-Ready Countries;
  13. Sweet-potato value chain management;
  14. The sweet potato sector represents a promising business opportunity;
  15. The sweet potato sector offers investment opportunities for the short, medium and long term;
  16. Sweet potato as a climate stress resilient crop; and
  17. Timely access to appropriate finances is key.
  • The leaves, shoots and root are edible;
  • Sweet potato vines also provide the basis for a high-protein animal feed;
  • It has a high starch content and is well suited to processing;
  • It has become an important source of raw material for starch and starch-derived industrial products;
  • Added value includes a variety of products and ingredients made from the sweet potato root, including flour, dried chips, juice, bread, noodles, candy and pectin.
  • New products include liquors and anthocyanin pigments from purple varieties for use in food colouring and in the cosmetics industry.
  • It is an excellent linkage with the livestock and cosmetics industries and can be another way to mitigate the risks of investments as the product portfolio diversifies.

Published July 27, 2017

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