When are sweet potatoes in season in Australia?
No Australian state is harvesting sweet potatoes in October. The next local crop starts in November, in Queensland.
Queensland's Bundaberg district grows nearly nine in ten Australian sweet potatoes. They cure and store, so local supply runs most of the year.
Are sweet potatoes in season in October?
Not from Australian growers. Anything on a shelf in October is imported or has come out of storage.
Sweet potatoes are sold long after harvest, so the shelf never looks seasonal. The months on this page are picking months, which is when a farmers market has the freshest crop.
Sweet potato season by state
3 states grow sweet potatoes commercially, and their seasons differ by weeks or months.
| Name | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland | Queensland in January: in season | Queensland in February: at its peak | Queensland in March: at its peak | Queensland in April: at its peak | Queensland in May: at its peak | Queensland in June: at its peak | Queensland in July: in season | Queensland in August: in season | Queensland in September: in season | Queensland in October: not in season | Queensland in November: in season | Queensland in December: in season |
| New South Wales | New South Wales in January: not in season | New South Wales in February: in season | New South Wales in March: at its peak | New South Wales in April: in season | New South Wales in May: in season | New South Wales in June: not in season | New South Wales in July: not in season | New South Wales in August: not in season | New South Wales in September: not in season | New South Wales in October: not in season | New South Wales in November: not in season | New South Wales in December: not in season |
| Western Australia | Western Australia in January: in season | Western Australia in February: in season | Western Australia in March: at its peak | Western Australia in April: in season | Western Australia in May: not in season | Western Australia in June: not in season | Western Australia in July: not in season | Western Australia in August: not in season | Western Australia in September: not in season | Western Australia in October: not in season | Western Australia in November: not in season | Western Australia in December: not in season |
Queensland has the longest picking season, November to September. Western Australia has the shortest, January to April. Taking every growing state together, the crop is at its best in February to June.
Sweet potato varieties and when each is in season
- GoldAll year, best February to April
- RedNovember to May, best March
Where sweet potatoes are grown in Australia
- Queensland87%
- New South Wales11%
- Western Australia3%
Share of national production by state.
Where to buy sweet potatoes
Out of season locally, so a farmers market will not have it. Worth checking what is in season instead.
In season instead in October
What growers in New South Wales and Victoria are bringing to market while sweet potatoes are out of season.
★ Asian greens
★ Asparagus
★ Blueberry
★ Leek
★ Peas
★ Potato
Avocado
Banana
Beetroot
BroccoliFrequently Asked Questions
- When is sweet potato season in Australia?
- Queensland grows the most, about 87% of the national crop, and picks from November to September. Elsewhere: New South Wales from February to May and Western Australia from January to April.
- Are sweet potatoes in season in October?
- Not locally. No Australian state harvests sweet potatoes in October, and the next local crop starts in November in Queensland. Anything on a shelf now is imported or from storage.
- Where are sweet potatoes grown in Australia?
- Queensland (87%), New South Wales (11%) and Western Australia (3%) grow the largest share of Australian sweet potatoes.
- Why can you buy sweet potatoes all year?
- Sweet potatoes are sold long after harvest, from cold storage, curing or glasshouse growing, so the shelf never looks seasonal. The months on this page are when growers are actually picking, which is when a farmers market has the freshest crop.
- When are the different sweet potato varieties in season?
- Gold: All year. Red: November to May.
Harvest months from our own research across Australian growing regions and national production figures.