Vanilla: The Second Costliest Spice of the World.

After saffron, the vanilla is the second costliest spice in the world. The chances of it becoming more costly, as its production has declined this year in Madagascar, the largest vanilla producing country.  

Vanilla Flower and beans
Wikimedia Commons by H. Zell

 

Vanilla is used from edible products like ice cream, cake, biscuit, curd, and chocolate etc., to cosmetic products like perfumes, moisturizer, shampoos, and soaps. 

The prices of vanilla are increasing from 2014 onwards and now it is the second costliest spice of the world.

The 80% of the global demand of vanilla is fulfilled by Madagascar, but this year a storm completely destroyed the entire vanilla crop on this island country.

There are every possibility that the bourbon vanilla produced in Madagascar reunion and Comoro islands will become more costly.

Along with natural calamities the vanilla producers of Madagascar have to face several challenges. The biggest problem is that of premature plucking of vanilla. For the fear of theft, the farmers pluck the vanilla in the month of March, while the crop ripens in June.

Last year the price of vanilla was from Rupees 25,600 to 38,000 in Madagascar. But the demand for vanilla has not come down even after the drastic increase in its prices.

Last year the total export of vanilla from Madagascar was 1800 to 2000 tons.

Another reason for the escalation in the prices of vanilla is the increase in its demand.

In truth, the trends for the use of real vanilla has increased not only in America and Asia but also in Europe.  

Due to the increasing prices of vanilla, several countries India and Uganda are trying to hands at the farming of it.

But the prices of vanilla are not likely to come down even after its production in other countries, as the vines yield the fruits after four years.