How many years have you been cultivating broccoli?
As an innovative horticultural seed company, we have been working and researching for over 80 years, offering broccoli vegetable seeds practically since our inception. It’s important to note that today we are the result of mergers of seed development companies and vegetable seed innovators, offering more than 20 different crops. One of our flagship products is broccoli, available in more than 150 countries and territories.
2. What caught your attention the most about our favorite vegetable?
Following our purpose of “science for a better life,” there is no doubt that Bayer had to research and innovate to improve the qualities, production, and profitability of what is now known as a “super-vegetable” – broccoli. Rich in vitamins and minerals, broccoli has demonstrated numerous health benefits, including anticancer and anti-anemic properties. Its increasing demand, driven by communication efforts such as those from “Más Brócoli,” has further highlighted its popularity among consumers.
3. Broccoli is considered by more and more people as the food of the 21st century. How do you think its evolution will be in the coming years?
In my opinion, the evolution in the coming years will focus on new formats that are generating great interest and experiencing exponential growth in sales. This includes Tender stem or sweet shoots, different colors that add differentiating value, and organoleptic and nutritional qualities. As a “super-vegetable,” broccoli’s evolution may explore concentrations of sugars, organic acids, chlorophyll, phenols, antioxidant capacity, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins C, A, B1, B2, B6, flavonoids, glucosinolates, and minerals like phosphorus, sodium, and zinc. These nutrients contribute to broccoli’s anticancer properties and other health benefits.
4. How do you approach innovation in the field? New products, new cultivation techniques, new tools…
At Seminis, we are ready for change, adapting our innovation and development to meet the needs of society and our customers. This aligns with Bayer’s philosophy of “science for a better life.” We are developing varieties that adapt to mechanized harvesting, which we believe is the future for broccoli. With rising input and labor costs and a shortage of labor, the transition to a future where machinery and ease of harvesting become essential in broccoli collection could be accelerated. We have been working in this direction for almost 20 years, and recently, varieties like Titanium and Shard have been launched, known for their suitability for mechanized harvesting.
We have introduced varieties like Skytree, with unique morphology, and Bellaverde, a 100% broccoli where axillary buds are utilized for their distinctive green color, flavor, texture, and high nutritional value. Our R&D efforts continue, and we aim to introduce new varieties and formats, as well as resistances to pests and diseases, contributing to a more sustainable agriculture.
Regarding tools, we are exploring digital agriculture with tools like Climate FieldView and Climate FarmRise, already proven in extensive crops and being adapted for the benefits of broccoli cultivation.
5. Have you noticed a change in society’s eating trends? What has this meant for your production in recent years?
Undoubtedly, there is a trend toward healthier eating habits, increasing the demand for fruits and vegetables in recent years. A clear example is broccoli, which was relatively unknown in our country a few years ago. Thanks to campaigns, promotions, and consumer awareness of the benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables, the demand for horticultural products has exponentially increased. Consumption formats are also changing, moving towards smaller or IV and V range formats, reflecting the trend of smaller families. This requires us to modify our varietal proposals, anticipating future changes, as was done with the broccoli varieties we are currently marketing.
6. The agricultural sector has proven to be essential in situations requiring greater effort to supply the entire population. How have you perceived the support and appreciation from people?
Honestly, I have always felt valued in my work and by society for the effort we put in. It’s important to explain our work to society and the daily dedication and effort it takes for farmers, producers, and all stakeholders in the supply chain to achieve our goal. While there has been emphasis in the media on the appreciation for the agricultural sector during the pandemic, I don’t believe we did anything extraordinary. We simply did our job, as always, honestly and to the best of our ability. What is important is that society has knowledge about agricultural production because, in some cases, there is a lack of understanding, and there is no worse way to speak than from ignorance.