Farmer Cornelis Mosselman (41) from Ooltgensplaat is stuck with 100,000 kilos of imperfect carrots, which he has nowhere to put. The roots have the ‘wrong shape’ due to a difficult growing season and therefore do not meet the supermarket’s ideal of beauty. “The outside says nothing about the taste.”
When is a root imperfect?
“Many people think that this only applies to roots that are moldy or rotten. But the appearance of the vegetable also plays a major role. Some of my roots have special shapes or are too thick, others are too short. Unfortunately, that does not fit with the current beauty ideal of the root. The consumer always wants the perfect carrot.”
“Supermarkets are often held responsible for creating that ideal of beauty. While I am convinced that we have all taken care of that. Judging by appearance is human. Of course, the outside says nothing about the taste. Our carrots may not look pretty, but they taste good and are full of nutrients. I think we should get rid of that ideal of beauty.”
What causes a difficult growing season?
“Last year the spring was too cold and too wet for too long, and the summer was too hot again. As a result, the roots that we planned in May of last year were unable to grow properly. This vegetable needs a constant climate to develop properly.”
What happens now with the 100,000 kilos of carrots?
“A portion, 15 thousand kilos, already has a destination. We are still trying to find a destination for the rest of the roots, such as shops or supermarkets. I recently read that the food bank had difficulty finding good quality vegetables. It would be nice if some of the roots could go there, but that would require a collection campaign to cover my costs. Unfortunately I can’t give it away for free.”
An imperfect carrot. © No Waste Army
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2024-01-27 19:53:07
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