Trade Overview
What are the top broccoli exporting countries?
As of 2019, Mexico is the top global exporter with a USD 642.73M export value (34% share). Following are Spain with USD 480.01M (25.4%), United States with USD 167.11M (8.9%), China with USD 128.77M (6.8%), and France with USD 100.62M (5.3%).
In terms of region, North America is on top with an export value of USD 855.42M with Mexico and the United States as the top exporting countries in the region. Spain and France dominate in Europe. While China, Kenya, and Australia dominate the regions of Asia, Africa, and Oceania, respectively.
What are the top broccoli importing countries?
As of 2019, the United Kingdom is the top global importing country with an import value of USD 209.99M or a 16.7% share. Following are Canada with USD 151.26M (12%), United States with USD 129.16M (10.2%), Germany with USD 77.22M (6.1%), and Malaysia with USD 64.67M (5.1%).
Europe, with a total value of USD 681.50M, dominates in the regions with the United Kingdom and Germany. North America has a total value of USD 280.42M, with Canada and the United States as top countries in the region. Malaysia dominates in Asia.
Seasonality of Main Producing Regions
What is broccoli and where did it originate?
Broccoli is botanically known as "Brassica oleracea italica", is native to the Mediterranean. It was engineered from a cabbage relative by the Etruscans - ancient Italian civilization who lived in what is now Tuscany - who were considered to be horticultural geniuses. Its English name, broccoli, is derived from the Italian word "broccolo", which means "the flowering crest of a cabbage", and the Latin brachium meaning arm, branch, or shoot. Broccoli has been considered a very valuable food by the Italians since the Roman Empire, but when first introduced in England in the mid-18th century, broccoli was referred to as "Italian asparagus". There are records of Thomas Jefferson, who was an avid gardener, experimenting with broccoli seeds brought over from Italy in the late 1700s, but although commercial cultivation of broccoli dates back to the 1500s.
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What are the types and common varieties of broccoli?
The varieties of broccoli are classified mainly into three types: Verde Calabrese, Romanesco, and Verona.
Broccoli Ramoso (Verde Calabrese): It is the typical broccoli with a dark green color. The main inflorescence measures between 8 and 10cm.
a. Within the Calabrese broccoli, two groups are distinguished, according to the harvesting period.
i. Among the varieties in summer-autumn are Gem and Temprano Alemánand Grande.
ii. Among the varieties in winter-spring are Verde Tardío, De San José, and Tardío de San Isidro.
Broccoli Romanesco: It has a green inflorescence of great size (between 14 and 16cm), formed by several cones.
Broccoli de Verona: The inflorescence is of average size (10-15cm) with a white-grayish color.
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What are the standards in classifying the quality of broccoli?
US Grades of Broccoli for Processing
U.S. No. 1 consists of stalks or portions of stalks of broccoli which are fresh, tender, and have good characteristic color and compact heads, are well-trimmed and which are free from decay and cull material, and are free from damage caused by discoloration, freezing, hollow stem or pithiness, scars, dirt or other foreign material, disease, insects or mechanical, or other means.
a. Unless otherwise specified, the length shall be not more than 6 inches nor less than 4 inches, and the diameter of the stem shall be not less than a three-eighths inch.
U.S. No. 2 consists of stalks or portions of stalks of broccoli which are fresh, tender, and have good characteristic color and fairly compact heads, are fairly well-trimmed and which are free from decay and cull material and are free from damage caused by scars, dirt or other foreign material, disease, insects, are free from serious damage caused by discoloration, freezing, hollow stem or pithiness or mechanical or other means.
a. Unless otherwise specified, the length shall be not more than 6 inches nor less than 3 inches, and the diameter of the stem shall be not less than one-fourth inch.
US Frozen Broccoli Grades and Standards
U.S. Grade A is the quality of frozen broccoli that:
a. Meets the following prerequisites in which the broccoli:
i. Has similar varietal characteristics;
ii. Has a good flavor and odor;
iii. Is practically free from grit and silt;
iv. Has a good overall brightness; and
v. In the styles of cut, chopped, and pieces, the individual buds are at least reasonably well developed.
b. Is within the limits for defects.
U.S. Grade B is the quality of frozen broccoli that:
a. Meets the following prerequisites in which the broccoli:
i. Has similar varietal characteristics;
ii. Has at least a fairly good flavor and odor;
iii. Has no more than a trace of grit and silt;
iv. Has at least a reasonably good overall brightness, which may be slightly dull; and
v. In the styles of cut, chopped, and pieces, the individual buds may be poorly developed if it do not materially affect the appearance of the product.
b. Is within the limits for defects.
Substandard is the quality of frozen broccoli that fails to meet the requirements of U.S. Grade B.
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Quality Control/Certification
What are the common pests and diseases that could affect broccoli?
Cabbage loopers - Cabbage loopers are ravenous leaf consumers. These are small, smooth, and green caterpillars with thin white lines on the back and side.
a. Management: For small-scale broccoli crops with a light infestation, hand-picking individual caterpillars is the best solution. For heavier infestations, apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) when the caterpillars are still small. For nearly complete exclusion, floating row covers can also be used to prevent the adult looper moths and other species from laying eggs.
Aphids - Two species of aphids, turnip aphids, and cabbage aphids, are commonly found on brassicas. As sap-sucking insects, large aphid infestations can kill young plants or significantly retard growth on mature plants.
a. Management: The best organic treatment is spraying the plants with soapy water, followed by clear water. An alternative is using insecticidal soaps. To lower the population, remove old vegetation and stalks from the garden after the harvest and encourage beneficial insects, like ladybird beetles or green lacewings.
Harlequin bug - The pretty orange-and-black coloration belies the destructive nature of these shield-shaped, sap-sucking insects that can wipe out an entire crop when left uncontrolled. Symptoms include visible adult insects and the wilting of leaves that turn brown and quickly die.
a. Management: Hand-picking harlequin bugs early in the season will help limit population growth. Best organic control is cultivating the ground in fall and early spring. Another method is planting a trap crop. Floating row covers are also effective.
Downy mildew - It is caused by the fungus Peronospora parasitica and exacerbated by moist growing conditions. External signs of downy mildew include a gray mold on the lower surface of the leaves, while the upper leaves will often show signs of yellowing and will turn brown and die.
a. Management: Grow a broccoli cultivar resistant to downy mildew (Green Magic or Windsor). Cultural practices are also essential to fight downy mildew, such as providing adequate spacing between plants, watering at the base of the plant, removing plant debris after harvest, and crop rotation.
Clubroot - Clubroot is a fungal infection that causes the root system to grow into poorly developed misshapen knots, which will eventually crack and allow secondary rot diseases to set in. This will either kill young plants or prevent mature plants from developing proper heads.
a. Management: Avoid planting any brassica crops, including cauliflower, cabbage, and kale, in the area until the disease has disappeared. Avoid transfer of spores to new plots via shoes, tools, or irrigation water. Fortunately, clubroot can be prevented with regular crop rotation and amending the soil with lime to keep the pH slightly above 7.2, which is generally too alkaline for clubroot.
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What are some care methods to avoid losses in broccoli?
Postharvest atmosphere management: Broccoli must be separated from products that produce ethylene since it is very sensitive to this gas. It accelerates its aging and shortens the period of conservation. To preserve, the suitable conditions are 0º C and high relative humidity (90-95%), which allows it to be stored for 2 weeks. This period may extend with modified atmospheres.
a. Pre-cooling: It is recommended to be precooled as soon as possible after its harvesting. In this way, the rancidness and yellowness are delayed.
i. Water pre-cooling or humid air cooling - takes place before the packaging, dampens the broccolis, without contributing to water accumulation.
ii. Precooling with a mixture of water and ice.
b. Modified atmospheres can be used, prolonging the conservation at 0º C or conserving in higher temperatures. The recommendation is to use a level of 1-2% oxygen and 5-10% carbon dioxide. To obtain these modified atmospheres it is recommended to use materials with suitable permeabilities, that do not confer strange flavors or scents to the heads.
Distribution: As much for the transport as for the distribution of the broccoli, it is recommended to keep humidity as high as possible and temperatures the nearest to 0º C as possible, given that it is a high perishable vegetable. The conditions adapted for the transport of broccoli are temperatures of 0 to 5º C and 90 to 95% of relative humidity.
Postharvest problems: Several problems damage the broccolis during storage. Broccolis may have different physiological alterations such as the browning of the stem’s cut zone or hollow stem, along with diseases caused by certain fungi and bacteria. During the conservation of broccoli, several pathogens may attack causing rots, and diminishing the product quality, or making broccolis unsuitable for sale. These issues can be solved by cutting the brown area or maintaining the oxygen below 1%.
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How is broccoli harvested?
Cutting off the broccoli heads along with 25 cm of the edible stem portion should be carried out manually to maintain the quality of the vegetable. Make use of a sharp knife to cut the head stem, above from the below head. Most of the cultivar has side-shoots that allow other heads to develop, even after the main head is harvested. This also helps in getting production at different intervals of time. To get a good quality of heads, the best time for harvesting is early morning.
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