The consumption of broccoli in Spain increased by 20% in 2016, from 55,000 tonnes in 2015 to 66,000 tonnes the following year. Each person in this country consumed an average of 1.5 kilos that year, approximately 300 grams more than in the previous one (the growth rate had been of 100 grams a year in recent seasons), according to data of the Association for the Promotion of Broccoli Consumption, +Brócoli.
The Spanish entity has presented these results at its 8th annual General Assembly, which was held in the town of Lorca. They highlighted the "major effort in the vegetable's promotion" through the media and social networks, with Spain being the main European producer, with more than 45,000 hectares and the vegetable being exported (88%) and sold in the domestic market. In fact, domestic consumption is two percentage points above that of previous years.
As announced during the event, the increase in the "intensity" of the promotions for Spanish broccoli in the 2016/2017 season is estimated to have helped reach more than 2.1 million people each month and 25.6 million in the entire year.
Luis Jiménez, new president of +Brócoli
The assembly has appointed the new president of +Brócoli, Luis Jiménez, head of the horticultural company Lorca San Luis, who will be replacing Víctor Cervero. "I want to help the association continue growing as it has so far and, at the same time, improve the promotion and consumption of broccoli," stated Jiménez.
The future of broccoli from a scientific point of view
The meeting was attended by members of +Brócoli and Francisco Jódar, Councillor of Water, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Region of Murcia, who closed the event.
Those attending the event had a chance to learn first-hand about the future of broccoli production from a scientific point of view thanks to the lecture given by José M. Mulet, professor of biotechnology at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), who advocated the use of transgenics in food. "Thanks to them, we could have broccoli with a high genetic base and greater resistance to pests and droughts," explained Mulet.
For his part, Mago More offered a conference under the title "The positive power of change", which was followed by a meal for partners and guests with broccoli as the main ingredient.
+Brócoli awareness work
The Non-Profit Association +Brócoli aims to increase the consumption of broccoli and raise awareness about its health benefits. It brings together producers, marketers, researchers, nutritionists, restaurateurs and all those entities and people interested in promoting the benefits of this cruciferous classified as a 'super vegetable' by CEBAS-CSIC.