Vanilla discovery tour
Whether you're a visiting a national park in the SAVA region or just happen to be passing through Sambava, 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 be seen depends on the time of the year and and which activities are ongoing, which change slightly from year to year. 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 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 a minimum price is set, which in 2022 was 75,000 Ar per kilogram.
The harvests are mostly bought by local exporters whocj manage the curing process; the months-long transformation of the green beans into the black pods 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 are so-called Cuts & Splits. The classifications are defined by the level of humidity.
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 definition for vanilla beans that are typically suitable for production of vanilla extracts, while Grade A beans, being gourmet quality, selected in part based on their appearance, are usually the black unsplit pods which consumers are most familiar with.
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 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.
