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Within one to two hours of harvest, the sweet potatoes are taken to storage where they are cured for 4 to 7 days at 80 to 85 degrees with a relative humidity in the 90 - 95% range. Ample ventilation is also necessary at this time. During this early curing process, sweet potatoes rapidly heal any cuts, bruises or skinned areas that may occur during harvest. The actual act of curing allows the periderm to thicken and to reform. Curing also converts some starches to sugars which enhance the flavor of the sweet potato.

Sweet potatoes are normally stored in bulk containers that hold from 20 to 40 bushels.

A small portion (15 to 20 %) of the marketable roots are washed, graded, and packed within a few days of harvest and immediately shipped to the buyers. Such roots are referred to as “fresh” and are usually not as sweet as cured sweet potatoes.