Carrots are a root vegetable that are typically orange in colour but depending on the variety, carrots can also be purple, yellow, red, and white. Carrots are also made up of 88% water! Carrot production in Prince Edward Island is destined for both the fresh market and processing industry. It is a crop with a high per capita consumption in Atlantic Canada. One medium raw carrot supplies our daily requirement of this nutrient. It also contains other vitamins and minerals including potassium. Carrots on PEI are planted with a special carrot planter in rows in late spring around May and June. They are harvested from the middle of September to early Winter. There are a number of different carrot varieties and their usage differs depending on whether they are used for processing or for fresh market. Many PEI carrots are processed at Oxford Frozen Foods in Oxford, Nova Scotia; or sold locally through the PEI Vegetable Growers Association, farmer’s markets, restaurants, independent grocers and large national retail chains.
For more information on Carrots, check out island industry associations: PEI Horticultural Association and PEI Vegetable Grower’s Cooperative
