Madagascar produces 3,000 to 3,500 tonnes of vanilla beans annually, supplying approximately 80 percent of global natural vanilla. Prices surged from $80 to over $600 per kilogram between 2016 and 2018 following Cyclone Enawo's destruction of 30 percent of the crop, then crashed back to $80 to $100 by 2023 as production recovered. This extreme volatility has caused severe income instability for farmers in the SAVA region of northeast Madagascar, where vanilla is hand-pollinated during a brief flowering window and requires nine months to cure after harvest.
Quality Differentiation as Defence
Madagascar is developing a geographic indication framework for certified Malagasy vanilla, modelled on European wine appellations, to command a price premium over undifferentiated global supply. Three commercial vanilla extraction facilities established since 2020 export vanilla extract rather than raw beans, retaining more value domestically. French and American premium food brands have expressed interest in sourcing under the GI framework. Spice traders and food ingredient buyers can explore Madagascar sourcing contacts on intra-africa.com.
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