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'''Whether you're a visiting tourist to a national park in the SAVA region or just happen to be passing through Sambavaon business, the de facto world capital of vanilla, a visit to a vanilla plantation and a preparation facility offers a memorable take-away experience from this part of the island.'''
What can may be seen depends on the time of the year and and which activities are ongoingat the time, which change changes slightly from year season to yearseason. Generally, during May and June, the harvesting of green vanilla beans take place happen close to the northwest coast around Sambava, Antalaha, Vohemar as well as further into the countryside. At higher altitudes, around Andapa and in other mountainous regions, harvesting usually takes place in July or August.
After harvesting, green vanilla beans are traded at market places where vanilla buyers place competing bids with farmers and cooperatives. These markets are regulated in that and a minimum price is setby the government each year, which in 2022 was 75,000 Ar per kilogramof green vanilla.
The harvests are mostly bought by sold to local exporters whocj who manage the curing processof the beans; the months-long transformation process of the converting green beans into the black pods that are familiar to consumers.
Througout the transofrmation, the beans are graded and classified in into different end-uses: Grade A being Gourmet Quality, Grade B being Extract quality and Grade C, which that are so-called Cuts & Splits. The classifications are defined by the level of humidityand their suitability for the end-use.
Low-humidity beans are most suitable for large processing purposes since the dryer beans are the more easily they can be ground into powder and mixed into various food products. Grade B, or Extract grade, is a lose loose definition for to describe the vanilla beans that are typically suitable for production of vanilla extracts, while Grade A beans, being gourmet quality, selected in part based on their visual appearance, are usually the black unsplit pods which consumers are most familiar withthat is usually preferred by chefs and anyone cooking or baking at home.
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 drier Grade B or even C with their low moisture level and which lack visual appearance, will however offer greater volume per kilogram, so more vanilla can simply be applied for a more significant vanilla flavour.
Since a peak price of black vanilla at around USD 500 per kilo in 2018 and 2019, many farmers invested their time in vanilla cultivation. In Madagascar, vanilla is rarely used in cooking and home baking and almost exclusively sold as a cash-crop for 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.
