Taiwan’s sweet potato has gradually transformed from its use as animal feed and starch in early years to fresh market type, processing type and leafy sweet potato. Different stages of industry development require different sweet potato varieties. Taiwan’s sweet potato breeding programs were initiated during the Japanese colonial period. Since then several superior sweet potato varieties with different functions have been developed. The major varieties come from TARI’s affiliated Chiayi Agricultural Experiment Branch Station, and take up 95% of the total production areas in Taiwan. Up to now 73 varieties have been developed. The varieties that are popular with consumers include the golden Tainung No. 57, which has a strong aroma and sweet fluffy texture; and the orange Taichung No. 66, which is honey-sweet and rich in β-carotene. The fast-growing leafy vegetable types during summer season include Tainung No. 71 and Tainung No. 73, which is bright purple and rich in anthocyanin. Currently Tainung No. 57 takes up the largest production area, followed by Tainung No. 66. The feed type varieties Tainung No. 10 and No. 31 are high-yielding and high in starch contents, and are the best choices for regenerating fallow land.

    To ensure safe use of chemicals and safeguard consumer’s health, the Council of Agriculture (COA) is promoting the traceability system for safe sweet potato. The strict control is implemented at production of healthy seedlings, inspection of environments before planting, production period with proper recording, and detection of chemical residues. In respect of non-chemical control, healthy seedling production technology can ensure the seedling are free of viral diseases, while pheromone and Bacillus thuringiensis are used to effectively control the major pests (sweet potato weevil and Lepidoptera pests). Furthermore, integration of rotation with paddy rice and flooding into the production system also effectively prevents basal stem rot from occurring. These methods can all replace the use of chemicals and safeguard the health of both producers and consumers.

    Under the guidance of COA, the production and marketing teams in major sweet potato production areas in New Taipei City, Miaoli County, Taichung City, Changhua County, Yunlin County, and Tainan City have all obtained TAP (traceable agricultural product) or GAP (good agricultural product) certification for the sweet potato they produced. Fresh market and processing sweet potato products that meet consumer’s needs are steadily produced through stringent cultivation management at the production sites. When shopping for sweet potato products, consumers can use mobile phones to read the certification numbers and get all the information of the certified products. All of these efforts are bound to gain the consumer’s confidence in domestically produced sweet potato.

    To enhance diversified, value-added utilization of sweet potato, TARI has developed all kind of processed products ranging from the iced roasted sweet potato that preserve the fresh taste, the sweet potato balls and chips that are ready to serve with simple preparation, to snacks such as sweet potato pastry, candied sweet potato, and sweet potato slices. It is also an important stuffing material for the pastry industry, adding new flavors to the same old sweet potato.