a feed device for a unit for sorting elongate items , particularly vegetables such as carrots , includes a slanted conveyor with a plurality of freely rotatable transverse rollers driven by two endless chains . the conveyor includes three longitudinal sections , i . e . a lower section having a device for rotating the rollers in the same direction as the forward direction of the conveyor , an intermediate section where the rollers are freely rotatable , and an upper section having an element for rotating the rollers in the opposite direction to the forward direction of the conveyor . a unit for sorting elongate items is also disclosed .