UNSPSC 50407056: Taro

The type of vegetable known as taro

UNSPSC 50407056 Taro is a Commodity code covering fresh and processed root vegetables and tubers procured by state and local jurisdictions for institutional food service. State and local governments buy taro under this code primarily as a component of broader produce or food-service supply contracts for correctional facilities, state supported living centers, mental health facilities, school districts, and other institutional kitchens. The work is characterized by bulk procurement of fresh produce—often as line items within larger fresh-vegetable or canteen-grocery solicitations—rather than taro as a standalone commodity. Issuing bodies span state departments of health, human services, criminal justice, and education; county school systems and boards of education; and special-purpose districts. Texas agencies, particularly the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Texas Health and Human Services Commission, dominate recent activity, with secondary activity from Georgia school districts and Illinois state facilities.

Recent opportunities reflect taro as a minor produce item within multi-item fresh-produce or food-service bids. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has posted multiple fresh-fruit-and-vegetable supply contracts (including solicitations IW267411, IW267420, and IW267376, with response dates in October 2026) for food warehouse delivery across multiple facilities; the Illinois Department of Corrections solicited bi-weekly fresh-produce delivery to Joliet Treatment Center (IFB 27426DOCJOLIEB53849, due September 3, 2026) specifying onions, peppers, cucumbers, and other staples; and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission issued bids for consumables and noncontract food items for Lufkin State Supported Living Center (HHS0018082, due October 23, 2026) and Mexia State Supported Living Center (HHS0017799 and HHS0017798, due August 25, 2026) covering prepared foods and food-service supplies. Taro does not appear as a named line item in the sampled recent solicitations; it surfaces as a coded commodity within broader vegetable-procurement categories. Geographic concentration centers on Texas, with secondary activity in Georgia (school nutrition programs) and Illinois (state facilities). Vendors pursuing this code should monitor institutional food-service contracts issued by state correctional, mental-health, and health-services agencies and school districts, where taro may be specified as a substitute or supplemental produce item within general fresh-vegetable line items.