Sales of Sweet Potatoes Surge Due to Health Benefits

Published on 2011/12/31 | Source

As more Koreans take an interest in their health, sales of sweet potatoes have surpassed those of potatoes, one of the most popular snacks in winter.

According to E-Mart, the ratio of sales of potatoes to sweet potatoes in 2009 was roughly 58:42, but this year it shifted to 46:54. The price of sweet potatoes has also risen considerably this year, but sales have somehow not been negatively affected. The wholesale price of sweet potatoes as of last Thursday, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation, was W31,000 per 10 kg, up 25 percent from W24,760 a year ago.

Despite the price hike, sweet potatoes have shot up due to their popularity as a meal substitute for those who want to lose weight. They are a staple food for many celebrities including the hugely popular K-pop band Girls' Generation, and their benefits have been advertised repeatedly on TV. Interesting variations such as sweet potato latte and cake have simply added to their soaring popularity.