Mumbai: The Central Government will implement a policy to establish a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for broccoli to promote its cultivation, propagation and popularisation across the country, said Dr P.K. Singh, Agriculture Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW).
Speaking at the Broccoli Consumption Conference 2026 in Mumbai, Dr Singh assured that the Centre will provide full support for broccoli cultivation, storage and processing, recognising it as an emerging superfood with significant health and economic benefits.
Historic Conference in Vegetable Sector
The conference, the first of its kind in India’s vegetable sector, was inaugurated in Mumbai in the presence of several national and international dignitaries, including Dr P.K. Singh, Agriculture Commissioner, Govt. of India, Yagi Koji, Consul General of Japan, Mumbai, Dr Mehraj A.S., Deputy Commissioner, Kenji Takikawa, Managing Director, Sakata Seeds, Isao Iuchi, Javier Barnabu (Father of the Broccoli Revolution in Spain) and Prof. Dr Shalini Arya.
Inaugurating the event, Ramesh Shirguppi, Director, Sakata Seeds, said this conference marks a milestone for India’s vegetable industry.
“The theme of the conference is Health and Happiness for Everyone. We aim to bring broccoli to every Indian plate. Awareness campaigns such as ‘Broccoli is Gold’, ‘Eat Broccoli Every Day’ will be launched across age groups,” he said.
Govt Support for Farmers
Dr P.K. Singh said farmers do not need training to grow crops but market access for their produce.
“We will establish a Centre of Excellence to provide technical support for quality broccoli production. Assistance from the Japanese government will also be sought. Existing cold storage used for potatoes will be customised for broccoli. Organic broccoli cultivation will also be promoted with full government support,” he said.
Japan’s Role
Japan’s Consul General Yagi Koji said broccoli, though not native to Japan, has spread to 170 countries due to Japan’s agricultural efforts.
“We have developed broccoli seed varieties suitable for India’s climate. Broccoli will play a vital role in India’s nutrition and development,” he said.
Celebrity Voices
Former Indian cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth delivered a motivational speech, sharing how broccoli became part of his regular diet.
“My wife makes me drink broccoli soup four times a week. Health matters more now. Everyone should adopt natural, healthy food habits,” he said.
Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor also shared his fond memories of cooking broccoli and noted its growing popularity among Gen Z, calling it “the BRO colour choice.”
Expert Discussions
Several technical sessions were held, including Panel: ‘Broccoli Food and Health’, Participants: Dr Nazneen Hussain, Dr Rajashree Taishete, Dr Shalini Arya, Sachin Walunj, Maruti Chapke, Vivek Naik
Discussions focused on Health benefits of broccoli, Recipe innovation, Frozen broccoli products, Long-term storage solutions, Public-Private Partnerships with ICT Mumbai for research
Javier Barnabu, the pioneer behind Spain’s broccoli revolution, shared how awareness campaigns in schools and supermarkets helped popularise broccoli.
He stressed the need for a Broccoli Association involving Growers, seed companies, retailers, exporters, processors, government bodies and influencers.
Nutrition Perspective
International lifestyle coach Claudia Ciesla compared malnutrition and over-nutrition challenges in India, highlighting broccoli as a nutrient-rich superfood.
Value Chain Focus
A second technical session focused on Broccoli Value Chain Development with panelists:
Avinash Joshi, Kaushal Khakha, Santosh Sahane, Rajan Ware
Discussions covered Cold chain infrastructure, Pre-cooling facilities, Cold van transportation, Customised cold storage
Avinash Joshi (Reliance Retail) announced awareness drives at Reliance stores to boost consumer demand.
Cooking Competition
A Broccoli Recipe Competition was organised under the guidance of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, where homemakers prepared Indian dishes using broccoli, proving its adaptability to Indian cuisine. Winners were honoured with awards.
Industry Appreciation
Sakata Seed Corporation and Sakata Seed India thanked all delegates for making the event a historic milestone for India’s agriculture and nutrition sector.
The conference successfully showcased the future of broccoli as a mainstream superfood in India, benefiting both farmers and consumers.
