Vanilla Program

Overview

Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia and Vanilla tahitensis) is the only orchid that produces an edible fruit. Originally from Mexico, vanilla was introduced to Madagascar during the nineteenth century, but without native pollinators like bees & hummingbirds, local growers must hand pollinate the plant. This makes vanilla perhaps the most labor-intensive crop in the world with a relatively low yield. It can take as long as five years between first planting the vine and producing aged extract.  Today Vanilla is grown in Madagascar, Indonesia, the Comoros Islands, French Polynesia, Tonga, Uganda, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Guatemala and India.

Sweet Flavor, Bitter Market
The vanilla market has been tumultuous since 2000, when environmental disasters in Madagascar and Indonesia cut supply so drastically that the world price skyrocketed.  As a result, many companies switched to synthetic vanilla flavoring, just as new vanilla farmers in Africa and Latin America emerged eager to capitalize on an inflated market.  These production increases, combined with a drop in demand from food manufacturers, have caused prices to plummet almost 90 percent since 2003, when vanilla prices peaked at $500/kg.  Farmers are struggling to sell their existing crops, while the entire vanilla industry is still recovering from the devastating price fluctuations.  Vanilla farmers usually receive as little as 8% of the export selling price of cured beans. Now, as a result of low market demand and crashing prices, many farmers have been forced to abandon or uproot their vanilla plants.

Sustainable Vanilla Farming at Risk
Most vanilla is shade-grown, and integrated with other crops. However, this practice could soon change. A new sun-tolerant variety of vanilla was just introduced that may force sustainable, small-scale vanilla producers out of business, and further contribute to deforestation and erosion. This new variety of vanilla may also further depress prices by flooding the market with even more supply.

Fair Trade Certified™ Vanilla ensures that farmers receive a fair price and use sustainable farming practices, stabilizing vanilla-producing communities and protecting the environment.

To learn how to become a licensed Vanilla importer, click here >

To learn how to become a licensed Vanilla manufacturer, click here >

To learn how to retail Fair Trade Certified Vanilla through your business, click here >