Carrot
Daucus carota subsp. sativus
Cool-season biennial root vegetable grown as an annual, producing sweet, orange taproots. Adaptable across Zones 3-10, carrots thrive in loose, well-drained soils and are one of the most widely grown vegetable crops worldwide. Suited for both fresh market and processing, with varieties ranging from small round types to long Imperator types.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Carrots require deep, loose, stone-free soil for straight root development. Heavy or compacted soils cause forking and misshapen roots. Seeds are slow to germinate (14-21 days) and benefit from consistent moisture during establishment. Successive plantings every 2-3 weeks extend harvest season. Carrots tolerate light frost and may actually improve in sweetness after cold exposure, as the plant converts starches to sugars. Nitrogen should be moderate (approximately 100 lbs N/acre for commercial production) — excess nitrogen promotes top growth at the expense of root development. Carrots are a key rotation crop and work well in diversified vegetable operations, offering strong direct-to-consumer and wholesale market potential.
Growing Season
- Plant
- Early spring (2-4 weeks before last frost) – Late summer for fall harvest
- Harvest
- Late June (spring planting) – Late October (fall planting)
- Frost-free days
- 65+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 1,200 – 1,500
Yield
- Typical yield
- 30 tons/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 1 years
- Labor
- 80 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
No buyer on record for this crop in the catalog's buyer network.
Price Trend Stable/Up
3-year price trend recorded as "increasing".
Supply Below Demand
No buyer network on record — cannot establish that regional demand absorbs additional supply.
Multiple Buyer Channels
0 recorded buyers and 4 documented market channels. Multiple routes to market.
Value-Added Potential
4 documented market channels, including value-added and direct-to-consumer routes.
Market Growth Projected
Mature vegetable market; growth over a 5-year horizon expected to track population rather than outpace it.
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Crop tolerates zones 3-10; region spans 5-6. Overlaps.
GDD Sufficient
Crop needs 1200 GDD (base 50F); region accumulates 2500+. Sufficient.
Precipitation Compatible
Crop needs ~1 in; region receives ~38 in/yr. Compatible, irrigation available as supplement.
Frost-Free Season OK
Crop needs 65 frost-free days; region provides ~180. Sufficient.
Chill Hours Met
Not applicable — annual crop has no winter chill requirement.
Climate Trend Favorable
Crop spans 8 hardiness zones (3-10). Wide adaptive range buffers against warming trend.
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
4 documented equipment requirements. Within range adaptable from general row-crop or orchard equipment.
Storage Available
3 documented storage/handling requirements, all achievable with conventional on-farm or third-party facilities.
Irrigation Compatible
Requires ~1 in. Deliverable with conventional drip or overhead irrigation.
Field Layout Suitable
Suited to the small-to-mid-size fragmented parcels typical of the region.
Labor Availability
80 labor hr/ac vs catalog 75th percentile 250 hr/ac. Manageable with typical farm labor.
Processing Proximity
No processing or cooperative buyer on record for this crop; product would need to travel or be sold fresh.
Equipment Requirements
planting
Vacuum or belt seeder for precise spacing. Essential for commercial production.
cultivation
Subsoiler or chisel plow for deep soil loosening (12-18 inches). Critical for long root types.
harvesting
Mechanical harvester for commercial scale. Hand harvest viable for small/direct-market operations.
post_harvest
Barrel or conveyor washer for cleaning roots before fresh market sale.
Storage Requirements
Fresh cold storage (topped)
Temperature
32–34°F
Humidity
95–98%
Max Storage
270 days
Fresh cold storage (bunched with greens)
Temperature
32–34°F
Humidity
95–98%
Max Storage
14 days
Frozen (blanched)
Temperature
0–0°F
Max Storage
365 days
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue not recorded for this crop in lake_erie. Cannot establish it exceeds the catalog median of $5,500.
Input Costs Acceptable
Input cost not recorded; not penalising. Catalog 75th percentile is $5,387/ac.
Payback Period OK
Reaches full production in 0 years. Acceptable payback.
Insurance Available
No federal crop insurance recorded for this crop; risk sits with the grower.
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Cannot compute — net return not recorded. Catalog median is $13.16/hr.
Grants/Subsidies
Vegetable crops are eligible under the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | — |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $7,500 |
| Annual Operating Cost | —/acre |
| Establishment Cost | —/acre |
| Total Input Cost | —/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $1,800 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Not available |
Source: MSU Extension E1437 Commercial Carrot Recommendations; USDA NASS Vegetables 2024 (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
4 documented risk factors. Within the range manageable by conventional IPM.
Market Diversified
0 buyers, 4 channels. Not dependent on a single outlet.
Low Establishment Risk
0 years to full production. Low establishment exposure.
Climate Resilient
Tolerates zones 3-10 (8 zones). Broad tolerance indicates resilience to seasonal variability.
Regulatory Burden Low
No crop-specific licensing or reporting regime beyond standard food-safety and pesticide rules.
Diversifies Portfolio
Adds a vegetable revenue stream distinct from the region's grape-dominated base.
Known Risks
pest
Larvae tunnel into roots, causing brown scarring and decay. Multiple generations per season in temperate climates.
Nematodes cause galling and forking of roots, reducing marketability.
disease
Fungal disease causing dark lesions on foliage, reducing photosynthesis and yield. Favored by warm, humid conditions.
climate
Compacted or rocky soils cause forked, stunted, or misshapen roots, reducing marketable yield.
Nutritional Yield
Macronutrients
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per acre |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 41 kcal | 9,930,954 kcal |
| Protein | 0.9 g | 225,263 g |
| Total fat | 0.2 g | 58,132 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9.6 g | 2,320,452 g |
| Fiber | 2.8 g | 678,212 g |
| Sugar | 4.7 g | 1,148,115 g |
Key micronutrients
Uncertainty: Per-acre values are estimates that compound the yield range, edible-fraction assumption, and a single representative nutrient panel. Treat them as order-of-magnitude planning numbers, not nutritional advice. Confidence: high.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Data sourced from UMN Extension, Cornell ENYCH, Penn State Extension, and USDA resources.
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie View economics source →
49 tracked changes across 8 data categories