From a single cleaning machine to a complete washing-grading line — how one Chinese carrot producer transformed its post-harvest processing and unlocked access to premium supermarket shelves.
A Local First: Henan Lvyuan's Leap into Automated Processing
On May 26, 2021, a local reporter visited Henan Lvyuan Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. and witnessed something that had never been done in the region: a fully automatic carrot cleaning and processing line in operation.
In the long steel flume, carrots were gently tumbling through the wash — sediment removed, root beards sloughed off, each carrot emerging smooth, clean, and market-ready.
The numbers told the story. Lvyuan's farm harvests over 10,000 tons of carrots annually, with more than 100 tons washed every single day. Before the automated line, this volume would have required massive manual labor and days of processing time. After the upgrade, workers could transport carrots from the field to the processing plant for cleaning on the same day.
But the real game-changer was what happened next.
From Cleaning to Grading: The Upgrade That Unlocked Premium Markets
The initial line handled washing. But washing alone wasn't enough to access premium markets.
Lvyuan soon realized that to supply supermarkets in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai — and to compete in export markets — they needed more than clean carrots. They needed consistently sized, uniformly graded carrots.
That's when the operation expanded from a washer to a complete washing + grading line. The system now includes a bubble washer, high-pressure sprayers, and a roller sizer that sorts carrots by diameter — delivering consistent grades that meet the tight specifications of supermarket buyers.
The results speak for themselves:
· Consistent quality — Uniform sizing means uniform pricing
· Reduced labor costs — Automated grading eliminates manual sorting errors
· Extended sales window — A 6,000 cubic meter cold storage facility now holds graded carrots for release when market prices are favorable
· One-stop operation — From planting and harvesting to cleaning, grading, packaging, and refrigeration
Why the Industry Is Moving Beyond Washing
Lvyuan isn't alone. Across China's carrot-producing regions, packers are realizing that cleaning is just the beginning.
The Shishi Agriculture and Rural Bureau has been actively encouraging leading enterprises and cooperatives to pursue commercialized processing of vegetables — including post-harvest cleaning, classification, storage, precooling, grading, and packaging. The goal: improve product grade and added value, and capture more of the consumer market.
The logic is simple. A washed but mis-sized carrot sells at a discount. A washed and graded carrot — uniform in size, consistent in appearance — commands premium pricing. For packers processing thousands of tons annually, that difference adds up fast.
A Smarter Way: Washing + Grading in One Continuous Flow
This is where Fstsort comes in.
Fstsort's carrot washing and grading machine is designed for operations that have moved beyond basic cleaning. The system combines bubble washing, high-pressure spray cleaning, and roller sizing in a single continuous line.
What makes it different:
· Washing that prepares for grading — The cleaning section removes dirt and debris so that the grader can work with clean, debris-free carrots, ensuring accurate sizing every time.
· Grading by diameter, not guesswork — The roller grader uses a series of forward-moving rollers to sort carrots by width/diameter. No manual sorting, no human error.
· Built for the real world — Carrots are tough on equipment. That's why the machine is built with food-grade materials throughout — all 304 stainless steel for easy cleaning and long-term durability.
· Flexible configurations — The sorting range is fully adjustable, and the system can be customized with different capacities, grades, and additional modules like weighing systems.
Fstsort has exported carrot washing and grading solutions to multiple countries across Europe and beyond.
Want to see how a washing + grading line can transform your carrot operation? Visit our carrot washing & grading machine page for complete specifications →
Ready to Move Beyond Washing?
A washed carrot is good. A washed and graded carrot is better. The question is whether your line is doing both.