In the last four years, Queretaro's broccoli producers went from producing 4,887 tons of broccoli to 13,894 tons, i.e. a 64.7 percent production increase.
This increase placed the entity in the national top 10 producers of broccoli in terms of volume. According to data from the Agricultural Food Atlas of the Department of Agriculture Livestock Rural Development Fishing and Food (SAGARPA), which publishes the Agricultural Food and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP), Queretaro ranks sixth in broccoli sowing.
The leading municipality in production is El Marques, with 7,552 tons, followed by Huimilpan and Pedro Escobedo, with 2,905 and 2,203 tons, respectively; Other municipalities that produce broccoli in open fields are Queretaro, San Juan del Rio, and Corregidora.
According to the SIAP, from 2013 to 2016 this crop went from 370 hectares to 831 hectares harvested, which means there was a 55.4 percent increase in surface area.
In 2015, production was 12,467 tons and in 2016, 13,865 tons. The federal delegate of SAGARPA in Queretaro, Gustavo Nieto Chavez, congratulated the producers of this crop and pointed out that these increases were the result of their perseverance and effort.
Nieto Chavez, said that the Ministry of Agriculture was promoting crop reconversion schemes so that producers could see the gains they would obtain by innovating with new vegetables in the entity.
More than 70 percent of Queretano's broccoli is exported to the United States and the rest is distributed in the national market, with chains of buyers arriving in different states of the country.
Regarding the production's value, the SIAP stated that the last four years have had a positive variation, as it has gone from 4,897,000 pesos to 41,141,000 pesos in 2016.
Broccoli is sown in 15 states throughout the year, however, the largest harvest takes place in March and April. Broccoli has a nutritional value of only 34 calories per 100 grams and provides protein, calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamins A, D, B12 and B6.
Source: diariodequeretaro.com.mx