Prime-Magazine-August-2019

FEATURES
Some details given to us by a producer in
Sambava: The vanilla plant is a creeper which
grows to a height of between 4 and 6 metres. The
first 3 metres are grown close to the ground, the
creeper winding around a stick or tree-trunk that
acts as a prop. As regards upkeep, it is essential
to cut weeds at the base without removing them
completely. This enables the soil to retain water, as
well as the elements necessary for the development
of the vanilla plant. These weeds also contribute to
creating the right balance as regards sunlight, heat
and humidity, providing the plant with optimum
conditions.
Any wilted vanilla leaves are systematically
cut away. Flowering takes place 2 to 7 years after
planting. This stage is the most important for vanilla
production. Since the vanilla flower is extremely
sensitive, producers monitor the plantations every
day, to catch the time of flowering. We can note
that the flower lives for just 24 hours! Human
intervention is thus necessary for pollination to take
place. Two months after pollination, the pods appear,
ripening 6 to 9 months later. They take on colours
ranging from green to yellow. It takes 5kg of green
vanilla to finally produce 1kg of vanilla.
Quality
The quality of a vanilla pod will depend on the
production process. As regards its maturity, good
quality vanilla tends to be yellowish in colour. As
for the size, it must be large and thick and regularly
proportioned from one end to the other. The pod
must be soft, oily to the touch, shiny and give out a
clear vanilla fragrance. The highest quality pods are
those measuring 15cm.
The phenomenon of ‘crystallisation’ or ‘frosting’ is
also a sign of a high vanillin content. A sign of good
crystallisation is the presence of filaments with a
gleaming coating between each pod. Good quality
Madagascar remains one
of the world’s main vanilla
producers. The largest of
the country’s plantations are
to be found in the north, the
north-east, the east and the
south-east.
vanilla can be conserved for years in an air-tight
container, even without the addition of rum or sugar.
The most sought-after types of vanilla for sale are
short pods or cuts, as well as red and black vanilla.
Vanilla cuts: vanilla measuring between 8 and 10cm,
having a low vanillin content and often picked before
reaching maturity.
Red vanilla: Mainly used on an industrial scale for
extraction and processing to produce natural flavouring.
Black vanilla: The most expensive, with the highest
humidity content, soft and with the richest vanillin content.
For a few years now, 11cm-long vanilla pods have been
classified as short vanilla, as a result of the drop in the
quality of the products available on the international
market.
The different types of vanilla found in Madagascar are
classified differently, using local terminology:
‘Kitsa’ vanilla: Low-quality very dry vanilla, often in
pieces and with a low vanillin content.
‘Vaky’ vanilla: Split vanilla
‘Poquet’ vanilla: Headless vanilla
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