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'''Whether you're visiting exploring a national park in the SAVA region or just passing travelling through Sambava, the de facto capital of the world's vanilla cultivation and productionagriculture, a tour of a vanilla plantation combined with a visit to a vanilla plantation and preparation production facility is will give visitors an insight into the take-away experience lenghty and labour intensive process of this part transforming the green fruits of vanilla orchids into the fragrant black natural vanilla spice that is the islandworld's favourite ingredient in quality ice creams, pastries and countless other food products.'''

What can be seen depends on the time of the year and and what activities that are ongoing which can change slightly from year to yearat the time of a visit. During Between May and June, the harvesting of green vanilla beans take place in areas close to is done across plantations on the northwest coast (around Sambava, Antalaha, and Vohemar and as well as further inland). At , while at higher altitudes, such as around Andapaand Marojejy, the harvesting usually takes place in July/and early August.

ThereafterAfter harvesting, the green vanilla is traded at market places around crops are brought by the region where farmers to vanilla buyers compete with each other at auctions where the farmers are usually represented by cooperatives. These markets are regulated at government level, who set the minimum price of the the year's harvest and anticipaded demand of the global trade. Usually, they are bought by local expirters who manage the curing process, which is the months-long preparation in transforming the green beans into across the black pods vanilla which are best known among consumersproducing regions where buyers bid for their produce. At this stage, the beans are also graded, which means 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 grading minimum price is defined set by level of humidity, not necessarily quality. Low-humidity is more suitable for food large processing purposes sunce the beans can more easily be ground into powder and mixed in various food products. Grade B, or Extract grade, is a lose definition for vanilla beans that may typically be suitable for the production of vanilla extract while Grade A, being gourmet qualitygovernent each year, which in part based on their appearance. That being said2022 was 75, all grades can be used in cooking and baking. While Grade A may have a stonger smell 000 Ar per kilogram of green vanilla, the dryer Grade B and C with less mosture, while they may lack certain visual appearance, the vanilla will have a greater volume per kilogram, offering better value for money.

Following The crops are sold mainly to exporters and producers who manage the peak price approximately three months long transformation of around USD 500 per kilo in 2018/2019, great many farmers and companies have invested in the green beans into black vanilla cultivation, which in Madagascar is almost only a cash-cropbeans. Barely As the beans lose moisture and shrink during the drying process, every six kilos of it's output is used locally fo cooking and bakinggreen beans will produce approximately one kilogram of black vanilla beans.

Througout the transformation, known as the curing process, the beans are graded and grouped by classifications: Grade A being Gourmet Quality, Grade B Extract quality and Grade C known as Cuts & Splits. These classifications, sometimes mistaken for indicators of quality, are based on humidity and thereby suitability for different endn-uses. Low-humidity beans are suited for large-scale food processing purposes as they can easily be ground into powder and mixed with various food products. Grade B, or Extract grade vanilla beans, is the vanilla grade that is typically used for the production of vanilla extracts, while Grade A beans, or gourmet quality beans, which have the highest humidity, are typically favoured by chefs and end-consumers who will split open the pods to scrape out its seeds to mix into various cooking and baking creations. But all grades can be used in cooking and baking. While grade A may have a stronger scent and a better overall appearance, Grade B or even C with its lowest moisture content will offer the highest volume per kilogram, effectively providing more vanilla and flavouring for the same weight at a lower price than Grade A beans.  In Madagascar, vanilla is rarely used in home cooking and almost exclusively farmed for export purposes. Since the price of vanilla peaked at around USD 500 per kilo in 2018 and 2019, countless farmers have invested their time and efforts in cultivating vanilla as their primary cash crop. Vanilla beans grow best in light but shaded conditions and our plantation is located in a forested area by the beach close to the village of Benavony. Partly and fully grown green vanilla beans can be seen here at plantations between March and up until harvesting time . Historically, the type of vanilla grown in Madagascar is the Planifolia species, also known as Bourbon vanilla or simply Madagascar vanilla. The species originates from Mesoamerica where it grew centuries ago. The "Bourbon" part is a historical reference a French owned slave on La Reunion, then known as Île Bourbon, who discovered how to pollinate the vanilla orchids by hand to bear fiuits, since in their original habitat, pollination can only occur by bees native to Mexico. Apart from flavouring sweets in countless food and drink products, vanilla is used in essential oils, cosmetics, toiletries, perfumes as well as in medicines. The medicinal values are ... The price of different vanilla has in part been determinded by its vanillin percentage, the higher the vanillin percentage, the the higher the price, with the Thaitian variety having fetched record prices in recent years while the Mexican variately (Pompona) having had the lowest and the Magascan planifolia usually placed between. However, studies have shown that high values of 2% or more does not necesssarily equate to an improved taste quality. So a high vanillin percentage is something that can just look good on paper. Instead, beans with a vanillin percentage value of around 1.7% were considered to have the most balanced flavour profile and the highest overall score. There are subtle taste differences, which may easily only be distinquisged by a master chef or gourmandise, and while the terroir makes a difference, Planifolia is known for its floral notes, Pompona for having a more subtle flavour and Thaitian being known for its anaise notes and sweetness. As Thaitian is hybrid between Planifolia and Odorata, it may prove difficult to tell the differnce between a Planifolia and Tahitian grown in a same terroir in Julyfor example Madagascar.  == Videos == Sorting Cuts & Splits * WB-sx4b1JLg