Carrot crops in the Pacific Northwest have benefitted from ideal weather conditions the last few months. The market has wavered as supplies have been affected by either gaps in seasons or natural disasters in other areas.
"Yields have been fantastic this season," said Mike Kern, of Hilltop Produce Farms in Oregon. "The weather has been really good for growing carrots and other root vegetables. We started our season in July and we will go through to the middle of December. Demand has been up and down and the market has been a little slow at times. There have been gaps in the season which provided a boost in orders, for example at the end of October, start of November when there was a gap in seasons. We also saw the market tighten up when California was suffering from wildfires as well as during some of the Hurricanes that passed through. It's been a little quiet in the lead up to Thanksgiving, but overall, we feel it's been steady as she goes."
"Pacific Northwest carrots are tastier"
Many of the carrots grown in the Pacific Northwest are destined either for local farmers markets, restaurants, or organic and specialty stores. Costs are high for growers compared with higher production regions and therefore, the majority of them focus on the quality and taste they can provide local customers. This is partly thanks to the varieties they grow, which tend to be the smaller types that are sweeter compared with their larger cousins.
"The majority of the carrots grown in this region, including the Nantes, have a skinny profile," said Kern. "They are simply tastier as they have a higher sugar content than the ones grown in Mexico. The Mexican carrots are wider and stumpier and often used for processing. In terms of price, the Mexican grown carrots are sold for around half of the ones we grow, which reflects the higher cost. However, we have a strong local market and customers in the region are more inclined to buy locally grown carrots due to their sweeter flavor. Many of the Pacific Northwest carrots are also organic and you'll find them in local farmers markets and food stands, rather than in retail stores."
For more information:
Mike Kern
Hilltop Produce Farms
Tel: +1 (503) 667-5136