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G.K. Nair

KOCHI, April 8

WHILE farmers are enthusiastically taking up vanilla cultivation in Kerala, Karnataka and some parts of Tamil Nadu, given the prevailing lucrative price, experts are sceptical about its marketing in the future.

Lack of assured market either for the raw beans or for the processed beans is a major deterrent in vanilla development, according to Dr B.C. Suryanarayana, a Banglore-based expert.

``There is neither a firm price nor a recognised agency for marketing of the beans in our country as the present production of vanilla beans is negligible. The present market price for processed beans is on a very high side ($120 per kg) and may not remain there for a long time. The average price during the last 10 years with the exception of extremes has been around $40/ kg,'' he pointed out.

Many agencies have been procuring green beans from the farmers by paying attractive prices during the last two years. It is important for the agencies that they continue to buy the beans to build confidence in growers in vanilla cultivation. Developing market information system is essential to give up-to-date information. An action plan needs to be drawn up covering production of planting material including tissue culture technology, breeding and introduction of improved plant material, training of extension staff and farmers for production and processing, arrangements of various inputs for cultivation, marketing facilities and assurance of a reasonable price. A well-conceived research programme should be initiated to tackle the field problems and also for building up expertise in production, processing and packaging technology.

``It is necessary to look into various constraints in vanilla production before drawing up a strategy for development,'' Mr Nagaraj Bhat of Yojana Agro Consultants, Bangalore, told Business Line.

He said systematic research had begun only recently to develop necessary cultivation practices of vanilla. Most of the practices currently followed were based on the general orchid culture or the technologies developed in other countries. .

Processing of vanilla is a long-drawn process involving cessation of vegetative life, sweating, rapid drying, slow drying and conditioning to produce quality beans. The whole exercise may last 2-3 months as per the traditional system. The stage of harvest and the method of curing, therefore, play a major role in determining the quality of the produce. As vanilla is being cultivated by a large number of small growers with holdings less than one ha area, in varied agro-climatic conditions, the quality of the end product varies very much even if they followed common curing process.

Hence, it was essential to set up common processing facilities to get uniform good quality produce, Mr Bhat argued.

Vanilla beans during curing and after curing has to be stored properly. Otherwise, the quality will be affected. Growth of moulds during slow drying and conditioning is a major problem faced by the growers. Research on the storage, handling and packaging is lacking. Only a limited number of personnel who had some knowledge on the culture and processing of vanilla were available in the country, according to Dr Suryanarayana. Mr C.V. Jacob, Managing Director, Synthite Industrial Chemicals Ltd, said at present, there was an organised market to buy the produce.

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