It's been a good year for growing organic carrots in Ontario. "We had a warm spring, which let us start planting a bit early," says Markus Pfenning of Pfenning's Organic Vegetables Inc. "We've had a higher-than-normal amount of rainfall, but for us, it's been consistent and not too much. That means our carrots are growing exceptionally well."
That early planting has also led to an earlier harvest by about two weeks. Pfenning's began around August 1st this year, and presuming demand stays the same, an early end to the season can be expected as well. It aims to have the harvest wrapped up by the end of November at the latest, and notably, that's when the sweetness and flavor of the carrots are at their peak.
Better yield over 2023
Overall yield is anticipated to be slightly better this year on Ontario organic carrots. "We're also seeing that the carrots look better than they have in other years. When we have too much moisture all at once, they can split. Or if it's dry and you get a lot of moisture at once, you can have inconsistent growth. However, the steady rain and warmth means consistent growth for the carrots, so they look great," says Pfenning.
As for demand, it's steady right now. On pricing, Pfenning says U.S. carrots were more expensive this year, with pricing decreasing as the season progressed. This is the opposite of what was seen in 2023. He notes that while last year pricing was stronger, this year there's been more pressure in the industry to keep grocery pricing down. "There wasn't much of an increase from 2023 to 2024 because of that pressure. We saw very little increase–about four percent," says Pfenning, noting that pricing in 2022-2023 increased by about six percent. "It is the beginning of the season, so time will tell what pricing does."
For more information:
Markus Pfenning
Pfennings Organic Vegetables Inc.
Tel: +1 (519) 662-3468
[email protected]
https://pfenningsfarms.ca/