Vanilla discovery tour
Whether exploring one of the nationals park in the SAVA region or travelling through Sambava, a visit to a vanilla plantation and preparation facility offers those who are curious aboout vanilla an insight into how the plant is transformed from an orchid into black vanilla beans.
What can be seen depends on the activities that are happening at the time, which varies slightly from season to season. Generally speaking, between May and June, the plucking of green vanilla beans happen along the northwest coast around Sambava, Antalaha and Vohemar as well as further into the countryside, while at higher altitudes, around Andapa and Marojejy, harvesting usually takes place in July or August.
After harvesting, green vanilla beans are traded at organised market places where buyers place competing bids to farmers and cooperatives for the yearly harvest. These markets are regulated and a minimum price is set by the industry and the government, which in 2022 was 75,000 Ar per kilogram of green vanilla.
The green vanilla is bought mostly by local exporters who manage the months-long transforming of the green beans beans into the black pods that familiar to most people.
Througout the transformation, also known as the curing process, the beans are graded and grouped into based on suitability for different end-uses: Grade A being Gourmet Quality, Grade B Extract quality and Grade C which are also known as Cuts & Splits.
The classifications are defined by the level of humidity. Low-humidity beans are suitable for large food processing purposes, since the dryer 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 intended for the production of vanilla extracts while Grade A beans, or gourmet quality, are selected in part for their appearance. Quality Grade A beans are usually preferred by chefs for home baking purposes.
The above said, 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 low moisture levels, although lacking in appearance, will offer greater volume per kilogram, giving more vanilla and flavour for the same weight.
In Madagascar, vanilla is rarely used in cooking or home baking and is almost exclusively sold as cash-crop for export purposes. Since the last peak price of black vanilla at around USD 500 per kilo in 2018 and 2019, countless farmers have invested their time in cultivating specifically vanilla.
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.
Apart from adding a certain magical flavours sweets from craft ice creams and cookies and countless deserts to drink products, vanilla can also be found in essential oils, cosmetics, toiletries and perfumes as well as in medicinal uses.
