THE WONDERLAND
OF VANILLA
M.
Smithy*
This is the story of
a tree. A tree, which has become a real jackpot for the
farmers in Kerala. When the cash crop cultivators are able to
get more than one million rupees for a pack of 100 kg, which word
other than jackpot is suitable to describe it? Yes, vanilla is
creating history among the farmers in Kerala. Various factors
ranging from the health consciousness in the international market
to the humidity level of the Kerala plantations acted as a catalyst
in this regard.
This elite spice
is getting Rs1,100 per kg in the form of beans itself. Its value
increases ten times when it is dried and processed. Remember that
the processing is very simple in comparison with the processing
of rubber and other cash crops. And, in short, the farmer is able
to earn more than Rs10,000 for one kilogram of dried vanilla which
is produced at his own land and processed without any external
help. The value of the vanilla essence is many folds, double than
the value of dried and processed vanilla. But extracting the essence
of vanilla is a complicated process. Hence farmers used to sell
their product either at the beans stage or in the dried and processed
form.
The value of
vanilla is determined in the market according to the length and
maturity of the beans. Usually, vanilla is categorized into three
grades. The beans of 6 inch and above are included in the first
quality vanilla. The beans of smaller length are categorized into
second and third quality.
This high price
phenomenon of vanilla was contributed by the high demand of this
agri-product in the international market. The tasty vanilla ice
cream needs no introduction. But this popular flavour was produced
with some synthetic products, mainly based on the petroleum jelly,
by many of the manufacturers. Only recently, the health-conscious
international market turned down this synthetic process and demanded
the use of real vanilla for the flavour. That was the beginning
of the ever-rising graph of vanilla price in international market.
The United States is the major customer of vanilla essence. The
vanilla market of the United States shows a positive growth. This
increases the hopes of vanilla growers in Kerala.
What is vanilla?
The Spices Board describes this climbing orchid as the second
most expensive spice after saffron. Vanilla is valued for its
pleasant flavour. It is indigenous to South East Mexico and originated
in the humid tropical rain forests. As much as 90 per cent of
the vanilla production comes from the Indian Ocean Island nations
- Madagascar and Indonesia. They are the major contributors of
vanilla to the international market. The total import of vanilla
by the consumer countries is about 2,500 tons with an average
increase of 10 per cent each year. At present, the total supply
of vanilla to the international market is not able to cater to
the needs of the importing countries. Besides the U.S.A., France
and Germany are the major importers of vanilla. Other countries
in the European Union also consume vanilla for flavouring ice
creams and soft drinks. We could have an idea about the significance
of vanilla in financial terms only with an analysis of the international
trade statistics. Vanilla beans constitute only 0.7 per cent of
the world spice imports in terms of volume. But when we analyse
its monetary value, things are entirely different. Only with this
0.7 per cent volume, vanilla earns up to 7 per cent of the money
coming to the entire spice import market of the world.
According to
the analysts, the arrival of vanilla is 600-750 tons less than
the demand at present. This opportunity is the factor which attracted
more countries to the wonderland of vanilla. Even China and Mexico
have entered the field of vanilla cultivation. In India, progressive
farmers had started their venture with vanilla a few years ago.
And that helped them enjoy the present high price in the international
market. The Spices Board had launched a massive promotion programme
for vanilla. It is trying to popularize vanilla as an intercrop
in coconut plantations. This has to play a significant role in
the agro-economy of Kerala, as coconut farmers in the State are
facing a drastic price fall. The studies carried out by the Spices
Board have revealed that the cultivation practices are more apt
for plantations that are receiving high rainfall, mostly located
on the higher elevations and sub-tropical conditions. The same
crop can be introduced as an intercropping component in coconut
plantations in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The Spices Board
has started advanced research on the cultivation practices of
vanilla in India in association with the Indian Cardamom Research
Institute, Myladumpara. The germplasm repository of Myladumpara
includes almost all the collections from India and abroad. A nursery
of vanilla is also maintained there for production of planting
materials on a largescale.
There are more
than 50 species of vanilla, but only three of them are economically
relevant. They are Vanilla Planifolia Andrews, Vanilla Pompona
Schiede and Vanilla Tahitensis J.W. More. Vanilla grows better
in areas with an annual rainfall between 150 to 300 cm and a temperature
range of 25-32 degrees centigrade. It requires warm, moist conditions
and strong wind detrimentals. Vanilla could be cultivated up to
a mean sea level of 1000 metres. In India, vanilla cultivation
is feasible in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, the North East region, Lakshadweep
and Andaman and Nicobar Islands besides Kerala.
Vanilla planting
is normally done with the cuttings obtained from healthy, vigorous
plants. The seed propagation of vanilla is not simple. Tissue
culture plantlets of vanilla are largely available nowadays. Natural
pollination in vanilla is commonly found only in Mexico. Hence,
artificial pollination is very important during the commercial
cultivation. This has to be done in the early hours of the day
and should be on the same day of the flower opening. The process
of artificial pollination is very interesting. This could be effectively
done with the help of a bamboo splinter, toothpick or the stems
of stiff grass. For this, the farmer will hold the flower with
his left hand. The labellum should be pushed down with thumb and
the column should be released. Then the rostellum should be lifted
up with splinter and pollinia should be gently pressed and squeezed
to expose stigma. After this process of artificial pollination,
unfertile flowers drop off in a day or two.
In India, vanilla
is normally not used due to the non-availability and its high
price. Instead of vanilla, a chemical called ethyl vanillin is
being used by many of the manufactures here. But it does not have
the rich taste or sound flavour of the original vanilla. In the
long run natural vanilla will be used in India also. On the international
scene as well the synthetic vanilla contributes 95 per cent of
the vanilla flavour. As the health-conscious modern world prefers
natural vanilla to the synthetic one, the future of vanilla cultivation
would be brighter in the future.(PIB Feature)
*Information
Assistant, PIB, Kochi
