The carrot is rising to the rank of star of vegetables, seducing consumers with its multiple benefits. Angola, rich in arable land, sees carrot production as a way to achieve food self-sufficiency. In response to the growing demand, local farmers are increasing their production. This trend not only helps reduce imports, but also promotes the development of a local value chain, from production to distribution.
In the municipality of Palanca, located in the province of Huíla in Angola, the Agropecuária Arsénio Lopes farm specializes in large-scale carrot production. In February 2021, she harvested twenty tons on an area of 12 hectares. Each crop cycle, from sowing to harvest, lasts three and a half months, with an annual capacity of 50 tons. Its owner, Arsenio Lopes, invested about USD 16,000 (10 million kwanzas) of his own funds in the farm. He told Angola Press Agency that of all the crops in the region, carrots are the easiest to grow, requiring little care and being resistant to pests.
“Large-scale carrot production helps improve the health of the population, as carrots are rich in minerals, iron, calcium, vitamins K, A, E, C, and B complex. In addition, this activity helps reduce unemployment in his community,” he says.
A lucrative opportunity for local farmers
The development of carrot production in Angola generates many local jobs. The case of the Arsenio Lopes farm, which employs about twenty people, including more than 15 women. The jobs are also diversified, extending into the planting, maintenance and harvesting of carrots.
The demand for carrots is constantly increasing. Consumers and investors are increasingly looking for healthy foods and profitable products. This has created a booming market for carrots. Farmers thus have the opportunity to meet this growing demand and take full advantage of this opportunity. Carrot cultivation has many agronomic advantages.
A plethora of processing opportunities
Having several virtues, investors find in carrots, an opportunity for processing. They can explore various opportunities for processing carrots into derivative products such as: carrot juice. The production of carrot juice, meeting a growing demand for healthy drinks; canned carrots: processing carrots into cans for an extended shelf life; frozen carrots: production of frozen carrots for off-season consumption. There is also the cosmetic field: the transformation of carrots into essential oil, mask or face cream thanks to their anti-aging properties. These transformations allow to exploit to the maximum the nutritional benefits and various uses of carrots.
In 2024, carrots produced in Angola are mainly exported to neighboring countries such as Namibia, Zambia, and Congo. Angola’s carrot exports have seen a significant increase, with a projected growth rate of 12% this year. For example, export to the Marshall Islands was valued at USD 26,820 in 2022, and this figure continues to grow, according to Angolan Fruit Exports in 2024.
