Vanilla farmers fight back against theft in Madagascar’s spice trade

Vanilla is a genus of over 100 species, but only one is used for spice cultivation—flat-leaved vanilla. It is a liana that reaches about 15 metres in length. It grows as an epiphyte, similar to the popular Phalaenopsis orchids in our homes. Cultivating vanilla is very demanding, and the prices mean farmers must arm themselves against thieves.

Vanilla originates from the tropical forests of South and Central America. It is also cultivated in other parts of the world, and Madagascar is the largest producer of this spice. This is where the well-known Bourbon vanilla comes from. The vanilla orchid has pretty, reasonably large leaves of an intense, light colour. The most beautiful part of the vanilla plant is the flowers – large, fragrant, and with a waxy sheen. The fruits, however, are commonly known as vanilla pods.

Vanilla fruits are harvested when they are fully ripe, but at that time, they are dark green and do not yet emit their characteristic smell. Their intense, sweet aroma results from special processing, alternating "sweating" and drying the pods.

This process takes about six months and ends when the pods turn black and a whitish coating appears on their husks. This is the naturally occurring vanillin. This substance, along with two others, is responsible for the characteristic vanilla scent. The more vanillin present in the pods, the higher the quality of the vanilla pods. However, it is worth adding that the compound available in stores or most sweets of this flavour is obtained artificially.

Growing vanilla is labour-intensive. Every flower must be pollinated by hand (the pods are also harvested by hand), and these flowers bloom for only one day a year. The plant must be continuously weeded, and numerous agricultural procedures must be practiced. Vanilla blooms every 2-3 years, so fruit does not appear every season, affecting its price.

– In 2018, vanilla cost almost $600 per kilogram, more expensive than silver. Since then, the price has dropped to $250 per kilogram, but this is still a lot, according to a Business Insider report on vanilla. These amounts encourage thieves, who raid farmers and steal the crops. Therefore, farmers arm themselves to defend their vanilla. If a farmer's vanilla is stolen, it practically means the end of their livelihood. They then have no income.

Farmers also manually stamp vanilla pods (similar to cattle branding). Thanks to personalized markings, it is more difficult to sell the pods without proving ownership in the event of theft. It is worth noting that intermediaries play a significant role in the Madagascan market, so farmers do not receive the full amounts from the harvest.