Untapped potential of vanilla farming

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanians envisaging to become millionaires through agriculture have the chance to attain their goal by engaging in vanilla production.

Vanilla is a spice crop like cardamom, cinnamon, garlic and ginger but fetches a higher price locally and internationally. This is in comparison to many other agricultural produce.

According to the 2018 data, Mexico, Madagascar, Indonesia, Uganda, Comoro and Papua New Guinea were major importers of vanilla from Tanzania.

Tanzania Horticultural Association (Taha) agronomist from Zanzibar, Mr Ally Kamtande Ally said in 2020 fresh vanilla was sold at Sh850,000 per kilo.

“Following the impacts of Covid-19, prices have halved to Sh450,000 per kilogramme that has been boycotted by farmers. They have now asked Taha to look for another buyer,” he said.

However, he said that the crop has huge potentials for Tanzanians to generate money as compared to involvement in production of all other crops.

Vanilla production, export and earnings trend in Tanzania show that between 2006 and 2015, farmers earned close to Sh2 billion from exports, with Mayawa, a cooperative union dealing in the crop exporting 14.3 tonnes of cured vanilla.

In 2007, 32.1 tonnes were exported. This was followed by another export of 47.1 tonnes in 2008. Furthermore, 75.6 tonnes were exported attracting Sh244.6 million in the 2009, while in 2010 over 102 tonnes were exported providing farmers with Sh319 million.

Mayawa exported 70.8 tonnes in 2011 generating Sh229.4 million as 35.8 tonnes were sold in 2012 worth Sh147.9 million.

In 2013 and 2014 respectively; 39.2 tonnes and 27 tonnes were exported generating Sh215.4 million and Sh213.5 million each season.

In 2015, 33.9 tonnes of cured vanilla were exported bringing in Sh406.8 million.

However, vanilla production in the country has declined in recent years with the decrease being attributed to occurrence of the Banana Xanthomonas wilt that provides shade particularly in Kagera Region.

The disease led to uprooting of banana plants making it impossible for vanilla to thrive in the absence of enough shades.

The decline is also said to have been caused by decrease of prices in the global market as well as the recent outbreak of Covid-19 that have however increased demand of the produce globally and therefore hiking prices.

However, Tanzania farmers engaging in vanilla production can significantly up their earnings and can possibly become millionaires.

This was reiterated by Dr Daud Mbongo of the Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (Tari-Uyole) who said although the success on anything depends on individual efforts, Tanzanians should go for vanilla production.

“Those who will grab the opportunity now when vanilla is marketable locally and globally, stand a better chance to succeed,” he said.

He said a vanilla tree can produce three to five kilogrammes after four to eight years and that farmers can continue harvesting for two consecutive months.

However, he said only a small amount of the produce would be harvested daily in the two months, noting that vanilla trees could produce yields even up to 17 to 18 years since planting although the quantity could decline as they get older.

Weather

Vanilla is grown in places with temperature ranging between 20 to 30 degree centigrade and altitude below 1,500 metres above sea level. Furthermore, the crop needs an average rainfall between 1,200 millimetres to 2,500 millimetres per year.

Regions with favourable conditions

Dr Mbongo said in Tanzania, vanilla can be grown in the northwest near Lake Victoria in Kagera Region, North Kilimanjaro and eastern parts of Morogoro.

The crop can also be grown in Muheza, Tanga Region, Ukerewe, Mwanza Region as well as Rungwe, Ileje, Kyela and Mbeya Rural in Mbeya Region.

Crop cultivation

Dr Mbongo said vanilla is a parasitic crop that thrives in a fertile land that that no water retention.

“The crop requires supporting trees that are later used to supply food to vanilla trees. The seeds or vines should be planted at a spacing of 1.5 centimetres to two centimetres. Recommended spacing between the lines ranges between 2.5 centimetres to 3 centimetres,” he said.

Pests and diseases

The expert says millipedes and caterpillars are among the destructive pests in vanilla trees that are normally controlled through physical destruction.

“Snails leaving marks at the crop apex lead to the stunting of vanilla trees. Farmers are advised to frequently carry farm inspections and destroy the pests,” he said, noting that snails can also be controlled through salt application. Dr Mbongo said root rot, antracnose and downy mildew are the three common diseases affecting vanilla, hinting that the first two could be controlled by preventing water retention in the farm.

“The move will prevent the roots from rotting and damaging stems. Crops should also be sprayed with fogs medicines in order to control infections,” he said.

He said pruning tree branches in order to increase air circulation to vanilla trees and prevent overcrowding of the farm can significantly control downy mildew.

He said fogs medicines that are available in the market such as ivory and victory could be sprayed to completely control diseases.

Flowering and pollination

Dr Mbongo said in Tanzania vanilla is manually pollinated whereby farmers are supposed to use sharp tools like needles and injections for collection of pollen grains and placement to the stigma.

“Some countries in south and Central America have been blessed with bees that support cross pollination. However, such bees are not available in Tanzania and many other countries,” he said.

Harvests and quality control

According to him, a vanilla fruit which is ready for harvesting changes its colour from green to yellow before developing to brown.

He said only pollinated flowers will produce fruits and that fruit (pod) that are ready are cut for fermentation, drying and processing.

Dr Mbongo said one hectare of vanilla can produce about 1,000 to 2,000 kilogrammes of the produce, observing however that it is difficult to get such harvests due to the demand of manual pollination.

Grading and curing

Most Tanzania farmers do grade vanilla on the same day of harvesting with Grade one fruits consisting with longest beans (about 15 centimetres) and highest vanillin spice margin.

The second grade is between 10 and 15 centimetres long while the third grade has beans with a maximum of 10 centimetres’ length and that split beans are usually separated for local use.

Curing of vanilla is a demanding process that meant to reduce water content and maximize on vanillin that start thorough washing in pure water. This is followed by ‘killing,’ a process whereby beans are soak in hot water for two to five minutes at about 70 degrees Celsius before proceeding to the ‘sweating stage. Sweating stage occurs when wet beans are placed into wooden crates with a blanket interior.

“They are left to stay undisturbed for two days at a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius. At this time they turn into a golden brown and emit a pleasant scent,” said Dr Mbongo.

According to him, finally dry vanilla is dried on the sun for three hours a day over a dark blanket to absorb moisture during a process that can last in two weeks when moisture have reduced to 35 percent turning magnified and glossy brown in colour.

Furthermore, the beans are dried at 35 degrees Celsius at a saturation level of 70 percent imparts better changes and become ready for packaging.

Packaging and storage

Vanilla beans are packed in their dried form in bundles of 150 grams and 250-gram bunches tied carefully with natural fibres and then they are packed in wooden crates or metallic boxes.

Each box contains wax paper linings that help in preserving them in a perfect aromatic condition for at least 60 days.

Temperature is maintained during transportation phase through refrigerated trucks before shipment for the exports.

Uses

Vanilla meal flavouring plant ranks the number two most pricey of all spices with saffron remaining highly priced.

It is used for flavouring bakery products, making perfumes and in aromatherapy.

The spice has small margins of minerals that constitute the bulk of its nutrients and that its consumption provides bodies with at least four percent of potassium, which is important for balancing blood electrolytes.

It contains three percent magnesium which is essential in strengthening bones and one percent calcium concentrates for solidification of teeth.

With virtually no fat, vanilla gives the body energy courtesy of its four percent of daily value of carbohydrates.