Spices and Condiments (1+1)

Area production and trade

 
• The total area under vanilla in the world during 1999 was 37,525 ha with a production of 4,303 metric tonnes. Presently, Madagascar alone contributes 80% of the world production of vanilla beans. The world market for vanilla beans is highly concentrated in a few developing countries. Three countries, the US, France and Germany, account for 80% of the world imports. The US absorbs 50-60%, France and Germany between 10 and 15% each. These countries are also major exporters of both vanilla beans and processed vanilla products.
• The area under vanilla cultivation in India is about 1000 ha and the production was about 6-8 t during 1999-2000. At present, Karnataka has the largest area under vanilla, followed by Kerala. The suitable areas for vanilla cultivation are Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, the North-eastern Region, Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.