The leading countries in vanilla production in the world are Madagascar, Indonesia and Mexico. These countries produce most of the world’s vanilla. As these three countries export their vanilla to other parts of the world, their economies have benefited from it.
Vanilla is a highly sought-after product with many uses including flavoring and baking foods as well as soft drinks and ice cream. Vanilla is also a great source of income for major countries in the world. Total annual vanilla production amounts to 1,500 metric tonnes.
Vanilla is produced mainly on large farms using cultivation methods such as pollination and hand-pollination; this is done by people.
Though, in some regions of the world, farmers use hand pollinators to ensure that vanilla seed pods are produced and there are no leftover flowers on the plants (vanilla orchids). In addition to being grown commercially on large farms, vanilla grows wild. This means that it can be found in many parts of the world including parts of Africa and you can also find it in India’s Northeastern states particularly Assam and Bengal.
Most consumers of vanilla come from Western Europe and the USA. These regions are responsible for large imports of vanilla.
Vanilla is considered to be a luxury item because it is widely used as well as because it’s very expensive. In fact, the demand for vanilla has made prices soar; in 2006, when a scepter pod containing whole vanilla beans was auctioned in New York, the price reached $800 per pound!
Such prices have made farmers in countries where vanilla is produced set up their own businesses so that they can sell their spice directly to international traders known as brokers rather than through middlemen who add value and then sell it back to farmers.
The use of vanilla has become widespread in Europe and the US. There are many desserts that use vanilla as an ingredient. Vanilla is also an important part of fragrances and perfumes. It is also used in making soft drinks and ice cream, whereby it gives the products a nice aroma and taste. People especially like using vanilla to flavor confectionary purposes. Vanilla flavor now comes in different forms making it easier for people to use it for cooking purposes.
Vanilla is also used to make medicines; some of these medicines include vanillin which is used in mouth wash, toothpaste as well as other cosmetic products like soaps and creams.
The vanilla plant is cultivated primarily for its seed pods. These are often called vanilla beans because they resemble a pod of beans (the name comes from the French word meaning a bean).
Some vanilla farms have thousands of trees though most have less than 20 trees. Because farmers produce vanilla every year, it is difficult to count the number of trees planted by each farmer. Most farmers grown vanilla in their home countries while others take it to other parts of the world especially Western Europe where the demand is high.
Vanilla pods are harvested by hand when they reach full size; this gives farmers time to ensure that they have a good quantity of different varieties and flavors in each harvest, especially since some varieties are more popular than others.
The pods are harvested by hand. However, some farmers use mechanical harvesters to make the harvesting process a lot easier and faster. During the harvesting process, farmers cover the pods with nets to stop any bugs from pollinating the flowers.
Once fully ripe, farmers then dry and cure them in order to make them usable. After drying and curing, farmers remove all of their seeds as well as stems. This leaves only the pod which is then placed inside of a box made especially for this purpose; these boxes are called vanilla scoops.
Vanilla pods weigh approximately 200 grams to 400 grams, though some farmers prefer to over-dry them so that the weight is reduced. Over-drying leads to a decrease in quality and price.
Once all of the varietal parts of vanilla pods have been removed, you are left with a hollow shell called a scepter which contains vanilla seeds. The seeds are obtained by sifting through the shell or by using an alternative method called splitting; in this process, cooks break open the scepters manually.
Vanilla is used for flavoring food or beverages and in perfumes; it’s also used as an additive in several industries including the cosmetic industry and paper industry where it’s known as “vanilla oil”.
Mexico is said to be the birthplace of the vanilla bean, which belongs to the orchid family. This plant family (Orchidaceae) is said to be among the largest of all flowering plant families. The original inhabitants of Mesoamerica have cultivated vanilla since ancient times and after European contact and colonization, Mexico was said to be the first locale to send vanilla’s delicate flavors and fragrances to all the corners of the world.
For quite some time thereafter they remained to be the leading vanilla supplier in the world, until around the middle of the 19th century. Though they still remain among the top global producers of vanilla, Mexican producers have been unable to reclaim a position at the very top as African and Asian countries have claimed larger and larger stakes in the global vanilla market.
World Vanilla Leaders
In 2016, the world’s largest vanilla-producing country was Madagascar with an output of 2,926 tons of vanilla followed by Indonesia at 2,304 tons, showcasing an increasing trend in production of vanilla across much of Asia and Africa.
Both countries are far above the 885 tons from China and the 513 tons from Mexico. This further highlights that the Mexican vanilla industry, relative to the global market, will have a long way to go to reverse their fortunes in market share, despite their long proud history of producing vanilla.
A Risky Spice For Investors
Natural vanilla is said to be the 2nd most expensive spice in the globe, second only to saffron. This is due to its intensively-involved methods of cultivation, which also makes the vanilla industry one of the world’s most volatile markets.
For instance, a few years back in 2003, the price of vanilla rose to record highs of $500 per kilogram, which led to a rush of new market entrants with hopes of taking advantage of this lucrative crop. By 2010, however, prices had plummeted from that high point to less than $25 a kilogram.
Such swinging of prices, and drought and fungal attack incidents, are driving growers and processors in different countries, including Mexico, out of the market today and looking for more stable opportunities elsewhere.
Are Poor Job Markets Conducive To High Vanilla Output
Due to the fact that vanilla production is highly labor-intensive in nature, countries with the lowest labor costs are favored. Countries such as China may struggle to gain much ground in the market because workers there are most likely going to demand higher incomes as the Chinese economy continues to grow.
Ironically, countries with low growth rates, like Uganda (who produced 211 tons of vanilla in 2016), will have a long-term labor cost advantage within the vanilla market leading to increasingly better production and rankings. Comoros remains a prospect to become listed among the top producers of vanilla in the world because, just like Madagascar, their major labor force component is found within the agricultural sector. It is estimated that at least 70% of the working population active in Comoros’s rural areas is involved in vanilla production.
The Rise Of Synthetic Vanilla
Other countries like Papua New Guinea (502 tons), Turkey (303 tons), and Tonga (180 tons) make up most of the rest of the world largest vanilla production. Vanilla production can still be increased further by new methods of curing vanilla and exporting finished products, thereby eliminating the risks associated with the primary production of vanilla.
Since the market may be affected by ‘synthetic vanilla’, which is being used in the majority of vanilla products on the market today, countries that are seeing a downward trend in natural production may be able to take advantage of synthetic vanilla, which is cheaper to produce and less volatile.
The Leading Countries In Vanilla Bean Production In The World
Rank Country Tons of Vanilla Produced
1 Madagascar 2,926
2 Indonesia 2,304
3 China 885
4 Mexico 513
5 Papua New Guinea 502
6 Turkey 303
7 Uganda 211
8 Tonga 180
9 French Polynesia 24
10 Réunion 21
11 Malawi 20
12 Comoros 15
13 Kenya 15
14 Guadeloupe 11
15 Zimbabwe 11
Nielsen-Massey sources vanilla from the world’s primary vanilla-growing countries: Madagascar, Mexico, Tahiti (including French Polynesian Islands), Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, India and Uganda. Searching the globe for the highest quality vanilla to create our products has always been a core value of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. However, making the world a better place for vanilla farmers to live ranks even higher. We’re proud to be a leader in improving the overall health of the vanilla industry, with a particular emphasis on improving economic prospects for the farmers and their families who make the industry possible. Read our 2018 Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Report for more information about the sustainability projects Nielsen-Massey is involved in.
What country supplies 80% of the world’s vanilla?
The vanilla bean is a pod from a species of orchid called Vanilla planifolia. And 80 percent of the world’s vanilla beans are grown in Madagascar. An infographic by Forensic Food explains that 80 percent of the world’s vanilla beans are imported from 66 countries.
The rainforests of Madagascar provide the world’s largest area of fertile ground for vanilla, which is why it is the largest producer and exporter of vanilla in the world. In 2013 Madagascar had a production value of $73 million and exports about 2,000 tonnes annually.
In 2012, Mexico was the second largest producer and exporter of vanilla beans in the world. Mexico has been supplying nearly 585 tonnes since 2010 from its five main growing regions: San Pedro Mártir (20%), Ixtapa (17%), Oaxaca (10%), Chiapas (9%) and Puebla (9%).
What does the word “vanilla” come from?
The word vanilla comes from the Spanish word “vanilla,” which translates to “little pod”. The English got their first taste of the spice in 1554 when Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes discovered Mexican Indians using it. It took almost 50 years before any European dared to taste it, and they originally thought it was a type of pepper.
Where is the best vanilla in the world?
In the early 1700s, French explorers traveled to the islands in both Madagascar and Réunion, French Polynesia to find the best vanilla. They found that Réunion had several small islands that had the best vanilla in all of the world.
Mangroves cover close to 80% of the land on Réunion Island, making it one of only four places with mangroves in the world. It is not just mangroves though; Réunion is also surrounded by some of the deepest coral reefs. In fact, it’s so deep that it is home to a species of sea cucumber called Osedax and a fish called trevally.
What country has the best vanilla extract?
The United States is the country with the highest quality vanilla extract in the world. It has been produced in the country since 1847, and represents 11% of all vanilla extract consumed globally.
In 2016, Nielsen-Massey, which produces Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract and other natural flavors, had an 81% organic score rating with third party certification body Natural Product Association (NPA). That means that almost 8 out of 10 natural flavor ingredients had a label stating they are certified organic under NPA’s standards. According to Edible Geography, America also has the richest biodiversity of high quality vanilla products in the world.
Why is Costco vanilla so expensive?
Costco is a business and they have to make money. But they do really good work, so they have lots of customers. There’s nothing illegal going on at Costco. They all buy the same product, vanilla extract. Vanilla extract, just like coffee, tea bags or bottled water. Vanilla is very expensive because it is a very labor intensive ingredient that has to be grown in special conditions and then distilled into its final form.
According to Nielsen-Massey CEO Mark Nielsen: “Retailers of our natural vanilla extracts offer a wide variation in quality from one supplier to another due to the skill and care that goes into producing this key ingredient.
The future of the vanilla industry is bright as long as the proper precautions are taken to ensure that the orchids continue to grow and thrive. With natural vanilla being more expensive than synthetic, many companies are looking into producing synthetic vanilla as a cheaper alternative, however consumer education is key when it comes to making this choice. It should be up to the consumer what they would like in their food and at the same time allowing farmers to make a profit for their efforts. Nielsen-Massey believes that consumer education is paramount for the continued growth of vanilla production worldwide by promoting the use of quality-controlled natural vanilla in food and beverage products.
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