Vanilla is an extract that comes from a plant which is grown only in a few countries. The reason is not just the climatic conditions, but the challenging process as well. Only few countries are known to take up this challenge considering the lengthy time-consuming process of production. Madagascar and Mexico are some places known to produce the best Vanille in the market. Due to major storms since last few years, the production of vanilla is affected. Thus, there is a huge demand for vanilla due to its shortage.
If you are unaware of how vanilla is extracted; let us help you with a simple explanation. Vanilla beans are considered to be a part of spice that grows on a distinct flower of orchid. Some people also refer to it as Vanilla Planifolia. You can search more about this flower and the process of production in detail on the web.
What makes Vanilla so expensive in various countries?
The process of producing the plant that grows vanilla is very difficult to grow and thus the export becomes expensive. If you ask the total period of production and extraction, it takes about a year. The flower production prior to extract process takes another two to four years to grow. Once the flower has grown, vanilla vines start to bloom. Moreover, vanilla needs hand pollination. Once the pods start to grow, it further takes 9 to 10 months to begin harvesting.
The final process of extraction is by soaking vanilla pods in about 35% of alcohol. These are soaked for 6 months. Vanilla is widely used as a great alternative to sugar based products. Vanilla sugar is homemade and is sold commercially to various gourmet vendors. If you hear the word vanilla sugar from a chef, it means they are referring to sugar that is flavoured with vanilla bean. If you consider delicacy over everything, you would know the value of vanilla in the world of cooking. There are innumerable recipes that include vanilla essence and syrup as a spice.
How the vanilla enhances the taste in food?
Another reason why vanilla is widely used in gourmet products and is in great demand is because it enhances the food flavors. Some prominent spices and flavours of vanilla include vanilla sauce, vanilla cream syrup, vanilla frosting, and more…
In the food industry, the value of vanilla is considered to be as similar as the value of silver in metals. Our brain demands different tastes and flavours; vanilla is one of them. Just like salt ads taste to food, vanilla adds taste as a spice. Thus, the vanilla prices have run up on the hill. As stated, it roughly takes about two to four years for vanilla to maturely grow. Mexico is a native producer of Vanilla. However, deforestation has badly affected the crop growth. Thus, there is always a race between the demand and supply making the cost higher.
If you consider the growth in Madagascar, 80% of vanilla is produced by hand pollination. As a result, the higher demand and short supply has increased chances of theft as well. Also not every company is a genuine vanilla seller. One needs to have proper license and experience in the market to be a vanilla seller.
Conclusion:
Farmers are always at greater risk of running under theft or bad weather conditions. The intensity of storms and frequency of demand makes it difficult to meet the customer expectations. As a customer, you need to get in touch with genuine sellers for vanille. Find out good brands that enjoy positive reviews or share good credibility report in the market.
