Where Is Broccoli And Cauliflower Grown?

By James Burton on April 25 2017 in Economics







Vast fields of Cauliflower in bloom on a farm in the Chinese prairie.

Amidst the threat of food insecurity worldwide, vegetable outputs are projected to go even higher so as to cope with the growing demand for these goods and their associated health benefits. The massive demands can be explained by an ever-rising global population and shifts in dietary habits towards increased vegetable consumption. The figures quoted herein are not expected to remain constant any time soon, as massive agricultural developments are underway to deliver greater volumes of much needed food to the world’s population. Annual production may go up or even down, as climatic conditions seems to pose a great threat to worldwide cauliflower and broccoli production, but the long-term production curve is expected to stay on the upswing.

China’s Remarkable Output of Florets

China accounts for over half of the world’s broccoli and cauliflower production, and this amounts to a multi-billion-dollar trade boost for the Asian powerhouse. The Chinese economic boom has greatly contributed to immense development in almost all aspects of the country’s economy. Vegetable production hasn't been left behind. Over the past five years China’s broccoli and cauliflower production has steadily been on the rise, with growth over this time being estimated at around 20%, to give an annual output approaching close to ten million tons at last measurement.

Brassicas in India

India follows China in second, though at some considerable distance. India’s produce comes from 6.7 million hectares of farmland which the country has dedicated for production of cauliflowers and broccolis. If the Chinese and Indian sectors set aside for broccoli and cauliflower production were to be combined, they would account for over 75% of the world’s total. Explanation for this is quite simple. These countries have the highest populations in the world and the need to produce food is something which is very vital as the per capita vegetable consumption is also very high and needs to be regularly met.

Other Global Leaders

The major cauliflower and broccoli growers in Europe are Poland, Italy, France, and Spain. The continent is able to produce a large quantity of these vegetable products, much of which is grown on small plots given the limited farming land that these countries often have on hand. In North America, the United States and Mexico lead the way, with an annual broccoli and cauliflower produce output of over 288,750 tons and 481,073 tons respectively. This is quite a surprise as Canada doesn't seem to feature close to its neighbors despite the country being regarded as one of the top consumers for vegetable products. Other countries worth a mention in this category are Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, and Algeria. In each of these countries, the annual production is in excess of 100 thousand tons, and this represents the importance of the production of these foods for the economies of these countries.

A Bright Future For Crunchy Crucifers?

Countries like Australia, Jordan, Ecuador, Greece and Guatemala only manage to produce between 60-80 thousand tons of cauliflower and broccoli on an annual basis. This range can be regarded as very low in global terms, and likely isn’t representative of the full potential that these countries have with regard to production of these foods. Things are, however, expected to continually change for the better. As technological advancements in agriculture are expected to continue, turning things around seems a surety in countries currently struggling to achieve desired output of vegetable produce. This implies that broccoli and cauliflower production may soon be on the upward trend even in countries where the farming of these vegetables hasn't been a mainstay in the past.

Countries Growing The Most Broccoli And Cauliflower In The World