Introducing Israeli Carrot Varieties to Asia

Israeli carrots are very popular in Europe, Russia, and the US, as Israel’s season is opposite to the seasons in these regions. Currently, in September, Israeli farmers are planting the seeds for their carrots, which will be harvested between November and the end of June. The Israeli weather also leads to a higher quality of the carrots. The winters are very mild, but the summers are extremely hot, which positively affects the taste of carrots. Most carrots exported to Europe are conventional carrots of the Nantes variety, but the export of organic carrots is picking up as well.

According to Gezer Shluhot, an Israeli carrot grower and exporter, the export landscape is changing a lot. The company has set its sights on Asia, aiming to penetrate the market with new varieties: rainbow carrots and baby carrots. Rainbow carrots are of the conventional Nantes variety, but with different colorations: purple, yellow, orange and white. The baby carrots are a special variety of carrots: they are small, ready-to-eat, crispier, and fresher than conventional carrots. Their shelf-life is shorter than that of conventional carrots, but the company is able to supply these carrots all year round, as the carrots are stocked in a warehouse before processing.

Gezer Shluhot has seen the demand for these two special varieties increase. It currently has an agreement with McDonald's, a fast-food restaurant, regarding its baby carrots. The increase in demand is mainly attributed to the increased demand for healthy, fresh snacks, but also to new markets in Asia. Carrots are widely eaten in Asia, but the more special varieties are not widely known yet. “We have had a very good response to our baby carrots and rainbow carrots from Asian consumers.”

The carrot exports to Asia are expected to get a boost from recent government agreements with the South Korean and the Hong Kong government. Under these agreements, Israeli agriculture products will be entitled to lower import tax, but carrots are currently not part of the agreement. Nevertheless, the agreement does open up a lot of pathways for Israeli exporters to Asia, as until recently Asian countries were apprehensive to trade with Israel. Despite carrots not falling under the FTAs, Israeli exporters expect the demand from Asia to increase. To prepare for the expected increase in demand, companies such as Gezer Shluhot are expanding their farming area by 5-10%.