After watching Huge on the BBC I was shocked to see how much vegetables that were wasted in the food industry just because it’s bent.

I would like to end this barbaric onslaught that these carrots go through. Anyway this item would be made of non-toxic hard wearing plastic that can be re-used. I am hoping to get this item produce in mass for a few pence per item to allow farmers to have little out lay thus increasing there yeild.

How are you going to achieve some of the tasks you set out such as toxic testing?

• “A few pence per item”. Have you researched the current cost per carrot for a farmer?

  Yes a few pence per item I currently have a prototype being created/made this will cost around £150 because its being created and designed using a 3D printer, whereas the final product will be resin cast or either vacuum formed. The point is this is going to be designed using hard wearing plastic so the item lasts from one season to the next. As for the question about carrot costs, farmers get paid around 0.32p per Kg, average about 10 carrots. That means for every carrot thrown away the farmer losses 3.2pence, though this doesn’t sound a lot consider most farmers loss around 30% of there yield. If I can get this cost down to less than ten pence per item which I feel is doable it would take approx. 3 years for the investment to the farmers to be returned, and to be honest most new business take 3 years to get into profit, so it is a feasible business plan.

  Last updated: Tue, Jan 5 2016 10:43 PM +00:00
• And how should your product be used? Shoud the farmer place a single seed in each straightner? Should you have soil in them?

  The Organic straightener would be place in the ground because its being pushed into the ground soil will be partly pushed into the item and a seed placed on top. the seeds roots will continue to grow out of the hole in the end and the shaft of the carrot will grow into the gap of the item, as the carrot fills out the straightener the soil will get pushed back out of the item.

  Last updated: Tue, Jan 5 2016 10:24 PM +00:00
• What size are they? How do they impact the harvest?

  There are many types of carrots which typically grow between 15 and 25cm. The idea would be to only stock 2 different sizes for the most popular supermarket bands of carrot. They would actually speed up the harvest, as it is now currently every carrot gets checked before it enters the supermarket. There are two options we face either the outsell gets left on as currently a lot of carrots get throw away in transportation, by keeping the outsell on it until it reaches its destination this will protect the carrot. The other option it gets removed upon inspection.

  Last updated: Tue, Jan 5 2016 10:34 PM +00:00
• I think you have missed the point - it’s peoples’ attitude that needs to change, not carrots straightened! Do something towards the former and I’ll happily back it up.

  I totally agree, but the fact is peoples mentality aren’t going to change and because of this supermarkets merely wont stock the shelves with the natural looking carrot. It was tried and tested by Huge and people would always pick the straighter carrot over the natural looking carrot.

  Last updated: Tue, Jan 5 2016 10:37 PM +00:00