'''Whether you're a visiting tourist to a national park in the SAVA region or just happen to be passing through Sambava, the de facto world capital of the world's vanilla trade and production, a visit to a vanilla plantation and a preparation facility offers a memorable take-away experience from this part of the island.'''
What can be seen depends on the time of the year and and which activities are ongoing, which can change slightly from year to year. During Generally, during May and June, the harvesting of green vanilla beans take place close to the northwest coast around Sambava, Antalaha, Vohemar as well as further inlandinto the countryside. At higher altitudes, around Andapa and in other mountainous regions, harvesting usually takes place in July/or August.
After harvesting, green vanilla is beans are traded at market places around where vanilla buyers compete place competing bids with each other at auctions where farmers are usually represented by various and cooperatives. These markets are regulated whereby the in that a minimum price is set of the the year's harvest, which in 2022 was 75,000 Ar per kilogram. The price is set based on anticipaded demand of the global trade as well as polituicaal influences. The harvests are bought by local exporters that manage the curing process, the months-long transformation of the green beans into the black pods vanilla as they are better known among consumers.
At this stage, The harvests are mostly bought by local exporters whocj manage the curing process; the months-long transformation of the green beans are graded, meaning they are classified in into suitable end-uses: Grade A being Gourmet Quality, Grade B being Extract quality and Grade C which are so-called Cuts & Splits. The classification is partly defined by the level of humidity and demand, not necessarily qualityblack pods familiar to consumers.
Low-humidity becomes more suitable for large processing purposes since Througout the transofrmation, the dryer beans can more easily be ground into powder are graded and mixed classified in various food products. into different end-uses: Grade B or Extract grade, is a lose definition for vanilla beans that is typically suitable for the production of vanilla extractsA being Gourmet Quality, while Grade A B being gourmet Extract qualityand Grade C, which are usually so-called Cuts & Splits. The classifications are defined by the black unsplit pods that consumers are familiar with, selected in part based on their appearancelevel of humidity.
The above being said, all grades Low-humidity beans are most suitable for large processing purposes since the dryer beans are the more easily they can be used in cooking ground into powder and bakingmixed into various food products. While Grade B, or Extract grade A may have , is a stonger smell lose definition for vanilla beans that are typically suitable for production of vanilla and better extracts, while Grade A beans, being gourmet quality, selected in part based on their appearance, are usually the dryer Grade B or even C black unsplit pods which consumers are most familiar with lower moisture which lack visual appearance, will always offer greater volume (and flavour) per kilogram.
Following The above said, all grades can be used in cooking and baking. While grade A may have a stonger scent and better appearance, the more dry Grade B or even C with their low moisture level and which lack visual appearance, will however offer greater volume per kilogram. Since a peak price of black vanilla at around USD 500 per kilo in 2018/and 2019, many more farmers have invested their time in vanilla cultivation. In Madagascar, which vanilla is rarely used in Madagascar is cooking and home baking and almost exclusively sold as a cash-crop. Barely any of yeild is used locallyfor export purposes.
Vanilla beans grow best in light but shaded conditions. Partly and fully grown green vanilla beans can be seen at many plantations between March and up until harvesting time.
