What’s so special about carrots?

Carrot producers are gearing up for the start of the new season and while many feel it is a little too early to comment on the 2006 deal, they are hoping to feel the benefits of an industry-funded, high-profile, promotional campaign.

“Carrot growers are always optimistic,” says John Birkenshaw, secretary and treasurer of the British Carrot Growers’ Association (BCGA) and Adas associate vegetable consultant. “This year we can be more so, given added publicity for fruit and vegetables, such as 5 A DAY etc, plus an industry funded PR campaign for British carrots. Also, TNS and Tesco clubcard data shows growth in sales for organic, pre-packed, prepared and value line carrots.”

Producers have often complained about the low returns carrots receive and many feel the time is ripe for change.

“I’m optimistic about the positive messages and profile of carrots but pessimistic about the monetary value,” says Martin Evans, managing director of Freshgro and chairman of the BCGA.

“Carrots are a low value, bulk commodity, but like other crops, they’re labour-intensive and suffer from increases in transport and operational costs. Carrots are underpriced and consumers think ‘what’s so special about carrots?’ We need to change that perception.”

Oakes Kenyon is handling the campaign, which according to Evans, will be centred on awareness and education. The website - www.britishcarrots.co.uk - is currently being constructed and is due to go on line on June 5.

“We’re trying to show consumers how to be innovative in the way they use carrots and emphasise the freshness and quality of British carrots,” Evans says.

“One of the biggest challenges is getting consumers to use carrots differently. Traditionally, carrots have been boiled for Sunday lunch or used in soups, but we’re trying to add to their profile and have more consumers eat them in a salad or curry.”

Indeed, one aim of the campaign is to show how versatile carrots can be. Recipes such as lamb, redcurrant, carrot and rosemary cobbler, beef stir-fry with crispy carrots and for the more adventurous cook, carrot paneer and pea curry or deep fried rice paper and carrot rolls have been unveiled to lift the image of carrots.

“The industry is recognising that it needs to engage with the consumer and that it needs to give retailers something innovative to market carrots with and not just focus on price,” Evans says.

Carrots represent Britain’s major root vegetable and are harvested almost 12 months of the year. More than 700,000 tonnes of British carrots are sold each year from 9,000 hectares of production.

Early-season carrots are sown in the winter and very early spring and are harvested from June through to August. Green-top carrots are sown in the open ground in spring and are harvested from August until the first frosts start to appear.

Strawed carrots are sown in April to early June, and harvested from December through to late May. Straw is applied by machine in October until December to protect them from the winter weather and keep them in the dark as they attempt to grow in the spring.

Traditionally, carrots were grown in the east on the Norfolk sands and the Fens region and up on the Lancaster peats. Over the years, production has expanded, with parts of Nottinghamshire and Scotland becoming important growing areas.

Birkenshaw reports that the area devoted to carrot production has increased slightly on last year but the start of the season is expected to be slightly later. However, producers note that new season crops are well established and growing fast.

Furthermore, a shortage in EU countries could provide export opportunities. “We export on an ad hoc basis mostly to Germany, Holland and the Scandinavian countries,” Birkenshaw says.

Tompsett Burgess Growers Ltd will kick off the new season with bunch carrots. “The quality of bunches looks good at the moment, although it is a little early to give a long-term view,” said Clem Tompsett in mid-May. “At the present time, the indication is the main crop lifting will commence around June 13-14 but this is weather-dependant. Our sales programme starts with 200t a day for the first week or so.”

A Barlett & Sons will begin lifting carrots on June 16. “A lot will depend on the water situation and if there is an irrigation ban,” Alan Bartlett, managing director, told FPJ. However, he notes that overall carrot sector sales are strong and there is potential for growth.

“The biggest issue facing the sector is selling strawed carrots for the same price as unstrawed,” Bartlett says.

Bartlett’s has substantially extended its packhouse, which, according to the firm, has “enabled greater efficiency and thereby ensured even fresher product on the supermarket shelves,” he adds.

Freshgro expects to begin lifting new carrots during June 3-7 and Evans believes the industry is moving forward.

He says: “We can ensure progress continues by investing in new strategies and innovation. Consumers are more knowledgeable about food and now is a very good opportunity to publicise home-grown carrots.”

Much attention has been lavished on organic and Chantenay carrots in recent years and many producers feel it is still worth investing in these areas.

According to Evans, the organic sector offers good market diversification. He says: “Organic producers can grow relatively efficiently and although yields are about 25-30 per cent less than conventional crops, organics tend to be handled quite efficiently. Good ICM systems are in place and the biggest problem is having enough organic land to grow on.”

The organic market has increased, agrees Tompsett. “We believe organics will expand more and more unless public opinion changes,” he says. “There is a steady growth for home-grown organic produce every year and our sister company, CH Tompsett Farm, has taken on a six-year tenanted farm to convert into organic production.”

Birkenshaw notes that organic carrot sales are increasing but with less pesticides being used in conventional crops, in addition to the use of carrot polishers, the difference is being eroded.

“The organic/conventional gap is closing,” Birkenshaw says. “There’s more use of precision guided hoes, more rented land which gives isolation and longer rotation and the ability to separate early and late production thus avoiding a ‘green bridge’ for pest and disease.”

Bartlett adds: “I always think that growth in organic is possible, but our commitment to quality will ensure our growth as well.”

Chantenay carrots continue to enjoy favourable attention and growers believe further gains will be made this season.

“Fresh Growers moved into this variety as we felt consumers and the market needed diversification,” Evans says. “We’ve found that those that try Chantenay stick with them. Sales have been rising year on year and we need to get more folks to try them.”

“Chantenay carrots are backed up by a PR campaign so sales should increase further,” predicts Birkenshaw. “Growers are using geographical location to increase the length of season, for example, early production in Jersey and late production in Scotland.”

Ian Hall of Clem Tompsett notes that Chantenay has grown rapidly in the last two to three years, although the crop does need specialist equipment. “Not so many growers are investing in this crop as had been seen over the last couple of years,” he says. “The multiples are looking at various options and one of our customers is interested in a small finger carrot.”

With a bulk, low-value commodity like carrots, Hall believes that the biggest issue for carrots growers is staying profitable. He says: “The current state of the UK carrot sector is fairly static, with very small growth coming from prepared and small niche markets, at the expense of fresh sales. All of our inputs are going up, yet prices are static. The main opportunities lie with the most efficient growers.”

In addition to increases in transport, plastic and waste disposal costs, Birkenshaw further notes that water for irrigation could be a challenge this year. He says: “The EA is reducing the amounts growers can abstract but most carrot production is backed up by winter water stored in reservoirs and accurate scheduling systems help maintain quality and make the most of limited water. A late start to harvesting can also cause a glut later in the summer but no-one knows if this will happen.”

These issues are obviously a concern but growers hope that new initiatives will serve the carrot sector well.

Certainly, Booths, the Re:fresh independent retailer of the year, is enjoying its arrangement with Lancashire-base firm Huntapac Produce. The producer is supplying Booths with carrots that “look and taste like carrots used to”, it says.

Packaged in paper bags with a netted window, which has been specially designed to enable them to breathe, the unwashed carrots already have a recommended shelf life, which Booths claims is around two days longer than washed pre-packed carrots.

Booths says the decision to stock the naturally-earthed carrots demonstrated its continuing commitment to developing new and innovative products.

Growers are hoping that they will reap the benefits of their hard work.

“We want the value of the crop to increase rather than overall volume although increased sales volume is also welcomed,” Birkenshaw says.

DID YOU KNOW...?

*It is thought that the carrot first came from Afghanistan around the seventh century AD

• As well as vitamin A, carrots contain vitamins K, C and some of the B vitamins

• The sales value of British carrots is around £280m

• We crunch our way through more than 10bn carrots each year.

• The total area in Britain planted with carrots each year is 9,000ha - double the size of Holland's carrot production area.

• Scientists have estimated that by the year 2015, carrots will be the new fuel of the future with 6,000 carrots needed per mile.