Carrots Growth and Production in Australia (2020)

Carrots first came to Australia in 1788 with the First Fleet. Convicts planted ‘Long Orange’ carrots on Norfolk Island just two weeks after their arrival and gathered in their first harvest in October of that year. This vegetable was identified as the fifth most valuable crop in Australia behind potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions.

Variants Available in Australia

Most of the carrot varieties grown in Australia belong to one of the following four variety groups distinguished by shape. However, new varieties, such as Mojo, are the result of combining characteristics from several variety groups via conventional plant breeding. The four major variety groups represented in Australia are:

1. Nantes varieties are blunt-ended straight to slightly tapered roots. Nantes varieties are generally sweet flavoured because of low terpenoid contents. 
2. Imperator varieties, such as Red Hot and Cellobunch, produce pointed roots up to 350 mm long.
3. Autumn King varieties have wide-shouldered highly tapered pointed roots averaging 300 mm in length. The main representative of this group grown in Australia is Western Red.
4. Chantenay varieties such as Royal Chantenay are wide-shouldered and highly tapered with good internal colour. 

Statistics of Carrots

As of June 2020:

1. 330,145 tonnes were produced and valued at $222 million, with 6% sent to processing.
2. The wholesale value of the fresh supply was $169 million, with $136 million distributed into retail, and $32.6 m into food service.
3. 89% of Australian households purchased carrots, buying an average of 825 grams of carrots per shopping trip.
4. The supply per capita was 8 kg, based on the volume supplied.

Major Production Areas

Predominantly, carrots are grown in the southern states of Australia. However, a significant volume of this vegetable originates from Western Australia. Some of the regions where it is grown are Lockyer Valley, Gingin, Preston, Mildura, Riverland and the Adelaide Plains.

Carrots International Trade

Australia identifies as a net exporter of carrots. It typically sends around 100,000 to 110,000 tonnes each year. As of June 2020, Australia exported 103,868 tonnes of carrots.