BAKERSFIELD, CA - Bako Sweet® recently announced a promising start to its 2024 sweet potato crop, despite challenges posed by extreme summer heat earlier this year. In fact, the crop has only benefited from favorable growing conditions, and with the harvest now underway, sweet potatoes are readily available in orange, red, white, and purple.

“Our 2024 crop has shown impressive growth, thanks to ideal transplanting conditions earlier this year,” remarked Matt McCort, Chief Operating Officer. “The cooler spring allowed for strong initial growth with a great size profile that supports both value-added and bulk retail packs. Although we experienced over 20 days of extreme heat in July and August, our crop has continued to perform well.”

According to a press release, the combination of a cool spring and successive days of 105-degree heat did slow the timing of harvest slightly. However, Bako Sweet’s dynamic approach to harvest management allowed the company to mitigate potential negative impacts.

Leveraging additional harvesting capacity by closely monitoring water, shredding, and harvest schedules, the team ensured product quality and sizing consistency.

“By shifting our harvest focus based on size profiles, we are able to optimize the quality of our crop and meet the specific needs of our retail partners,” McCort added. “This season, we’re especially excited about the increased acreage of our white and purple sweet potatoes, which will enhance our year-round offerings and help us better bridge the transition to peak seasonal demand in Q4 2024.”

The company went on to note that as the harvest progresses, Bako Sweet remains committed to delivering the high-quality sweet potatoes that consumers have come to expect from the brand.

Increased planted acres and dynamic harvesting strategies are at the ready so the company is well-positioned to support its retail partners as they prepare for the upcoming holiday seasons.

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