Carrot Production by Country 2024

Some say carrots are one of the most economically important vegetables. They grow fast, they grow well in just about any environment and season, and they’re easy to harvest and process, whether they’re destined to be enjoyed locally or shipped elsewhere.

These treats also deliver a lot of nutrition, whether by themselves or part of other combinations of vegetables. They also can be used in all sorts of recipes or just eaten raw, Bugs Bunny style.

Food Manufacturing calls the carrot “America’s most trusted vegetable,” since they are so popular. Plus, carrot producers haven’t reported any significant quality or sanitation issues like have been seen with crops like lettuce that often become contaminated during processing. Carrots are very versatile, and a key ingredient in vegetable trays, long a staple of potlucks, parties, or even snack time.

A recent survey showed that 69 percent of Americans are more likely to eat carrots compared to other vegetables, and they are also one of the top five vegetables that shoppers like to buy at least weekly.

Carrots can be found around the world.

China currently leads the world in production and consumption of carrots, representing about 45 percent of the global market for this commodity. It is followed by the United State, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Russia. China also is the world’s top producer of turnips.

Between 1994 and 2014, China exported 17.3 million tons of carrots annually, mostly to other Asian countries, along with Saudi Arabia and Canada.

The U.S. produced an average of about 1.4 million pounds of carrots annually in the same time range. In 2015, the figure jumped to 2.4 million pounds. Consumption of carrots per capita works out to 7.6 pounds per person.

In the U.S., most carrots and turnips are grown in California, which has ideal land for agriculture, and 85 percent of the country’s carrot crops come from there. They also grow well in Wisconsin, Texas, Washington, and Florida.

One of the more interesting items about a carrot is its color. Although it’s easy to think of carrots always beginning a vivid orange hue, there are some varieties that are different colors, including purple. This shade is found on the Nantes strain, named after an agricultural area in northwest France.