Although very popular in many countries, the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is an underrated vegetable in South Africa. In the US South, its popularity supersedes that of the potato. There they refer to the sweet potato simply as 'potato', while the common potato is called 'white potato', distinguishing it from its yellow-fleshed cousin.
Although they are both share the name 'potato', these two vegetables are very different and should be marketed to consumers as such. One marked difference is that the leaves of the sweet potato plant are edible; they are prepared in the same way as spinach.
China currently produces more than 60% of the world's sweet potato crop,