Difference between revisions of "Vanilla discovery tour"

Revision as of 12:35, 28 July 2022

Whether one is exploring a national park in the SAVA region or happen to travel through Sambava, the de facto capital of the world's vanilla, a tour of one of the many vanilla plantations, combined with a visit to a preparation and export facility, will give visitors an insight into the lenghty and labour intensive process of transforming wild vanilla orchids and their green fruits into the familiar fragrant black vanilla bean that everyone appreciate as an ingredient in ice cream and countless sweet treats.

What can be seen depends the time of the year and the activities that are ongoing during a visit. Between May and June, the plucking of green vanilla beans happens across plantations along the northwest coast around Sambava, Antalaha and Vohemar as well as further afield into the countryside, while at higher altitudes around Andapa and Marojejy, the harvesting usually takes place in July or August.

The green vanilla beans are thereafter traded at organised markets across the vanilla producing regions where buyers place competing bids for the yearly harvests from farmers and various cooperatives. A minimum price is set by the farmers and the government, which in 2022 was 75,000 Ar per kilogram of green vanilla.

The green vanilla is mostly sold to local exporters who thereafter manage the months-long transforming process of the green beans into black vanilla beans. For every six kilos of green vanilla, approximately one kilo of black vanilla beans will be produced.

Througout the transformatio processn, also known as the curing of vanilla beans, the beans are graded and grouped into classifications based on suitability for different end-uses: Grade A being Gourmet Quality, Grade B Extract quality and Grade C which are known as Cuts & Splits.

These classifications are defined by the level of humidity, and should not be taken as an indicator of overall quality. Low-humidity beans are simply suitable for large food processing purposes, since dry beans are easily ground into powder and mixed into various food products. Grade B, or Extract grade vanilla beans, is a definition for the vanilla beans that are typically suited for the production of vanilla extracts, while Grade A beans, or gourmet quality beans, are selected in part for their appearance. Grade A beans are preferred by chefs and for home baking, especially consumers. Yet, all grades can be used in cooking and baking. While grade A may have a stronger scent and a better appearance, the drier Grade B or even C with their relatively low moisture levels will offer the greatest volume per kilogram, effectively giving more vanilla and flavour for a same weight and perhaps even lower price.

In Madagascar, vanilla is rarely used in cooking or home baking and is almost exclusively intended for export. Since the price of black vanilla peaked at around USD 500 per kilo in 2018 and 2019, countless farmers have invested their time and effort in cultivating specifically vanilla as their main cash crop.

Vanilla beans grow best in light but shaded conditions. Partly and fully grown green vanilla beans can be seen at plantations between March and up until harvesting time.

Historically, the type of vanilla bean species grown on Madagascar is Planifolia, also known as Bourbon vanilla or simply Madagascar vanilla, the "Bourbon" is owed to the history of a French owned slave on La Reunion, then known as Bourbon Island.

Apart from flavouring sweets from countless deserts to ice cream and drink products, vanilla is also used in essential oils, cosmetics, toiletries, perfumes as well as in medicines.