Event aims to showcase the crop to consumers
Farmers, chefs and nutritionists are joining forces this autumn to celebrate the great British carrot.
Friday 3 October has been designated the second British Carrot Day, created by a group of UK growers who “want the nation to rediscover the versatility, nutritious benefits and local food story of British-grown carrots”.
“Carrots are harvested 12 months of the year in the UK so they are one of the freshest and most versatile vegetables we can all enjoy, from field to shelf within a couple of days. And from an environmental point of view, they have low food miles too,” said Harry Strawson, joint managing director of producer Strawson.
Each year 22 billion carrot seeds are sown in Britain, producing over 700,000 tonnes of the root vegetable. British growers supply 97 per cent of the carrots sold in the country.
British Carrot Day will see the homegrown crop celebrated on farm and across social media with stories, recipes and inspiration.
“As farmers, we are very proud of what we grow and we want to show the skill and care that goes into growing something as ‘simple’ as a carrot – about the soil, the technology, the innovation and looking after the land,” said fourth-generation farmer Will Hunter.
“This October we are asking people across the nation to pick up an extra bag of carrots and be inspired to try something new. If every household ate just a few more carrots each year, it would make a huge difference to British farming and help keep home-grown produce on our shelves for future generations.”
Carrots are worth £290 million to the UK economy, but are one of the cheapest vegetables available at approximately 6p per carrot, as well as having plenty of nutritional benefits, added nutritionist Dr Laura Wyness, an author and podcaster who has featured on BBC Food Detectives.
“The standout nutrient in carrots is beta-carotene, which gives them their bright colour,” she explained. “Our bodies convert beta-carotene into retinol, which is the active form of Vitamin A that helps support vision, skin health and our immune system. Carrots also have beneficial fibre; something 96 per cent of adults in the UK don’t eat enough of.”
