Fresh Ontario beets are arriving in stores and farmers markets as growers begin harvest following a largely favourable 2026 growing season
July marks the beginning of Ontario's fresh beet harvest season, with growers across the province supplying one of Canada's most popular root vegetables to grocery stores, farmers' markets, food processors, and wholesale distributors, and fellow farmers.
Known for their versatility, nutritional value, and long storage life, beets remain an important part of Ontario's vegetable sector.
Ontario is Canada's leading producer of fresh-market beets and grows both conventional and specialty varieties, including red, golden, and striped beets.
Fresh supply begins increasing in July, with harvest continuing through autumn as growers take advantage of staggered planting dates and the crop's ability to tolerate cooler temperatures.
How Many Beets Are Grown in Ontario?
Ontario grows roughly 2,000+ hectares or about 5,000 acres of table beets each year, depending on the growing season, producing between 10,000 and 12,000 metric tonnes of the vegetable.
In addition to table beets, Ontario also has a sugar beet industry concentrated in southwestern Ontario, where approximately 8,000 acres of sugar beets are grown annually. These beets are produced separately from fresh-market beets and are primarily located in Chatham-Kent and Lambton counties, and of course, as their name suggests, processed into sugar products.
Which Counties Grow the Most Beets?
Commercial beet production is widely distributed across Ontario's vegetable-growing regions.
Major production areas include:
- Norfolk County
- Oxford County
- Elgin County
- Middlesex County
- Wellington County
- Waterloo Region
- Niagara Region
- Chatham-Kent
- Lambton County
- Holland Marsh vegetable-growing area
These regions offer fertile soils, reliable water supplies, and established vegetable marketing infrastructure that supports both fresh-market and processing production. Ontario's climate also allows growers to harvest beets from summer through late autumn.
Several hundred commercial vegetable producers include beets as part of their crop rotations alongside carrots, onions, cabbage, beans, sweet corn, and other vegetables.
The 2026 Growing Season
Overall, Ontario's 2026 growing season has been relatively favourable for beet production, although some regions experienced weather-related challenges.
Parts of southern Ontario experienced periods of excess rainfall, localized flooding, and spring frost events that affected field operations and delayed planting for some vegetable crops. However, beets are generally considered a resilient crop and tolerate cool spring conditions better than many warm-season vegetables.
Throughout early summer, weather conditions have been sufficiently favourable to support crop development across many vegetable-growing regions. Most commercial growers report normal seasonal progression, although disease pressure and moisture management are a key consideration this year as harvest ramps up.
Photo Credit: pexels-jean-de-roy