Lanka’s vanilla exports could become major FOREX earner
Sri Lanka’s vanilla exports are significantly lower in quantity and with proper guidance and training it could be made a major FOREX earner to Sri Lanka.
This was opined by United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s (UNIDO) International Vanilla Expert and Vanilla Agronomist Dr. Michel Grisoni. He pointed out that there is a growing export demand for vanilla as a spice and an essential ingredient. “By providing farmers with skills-based training vanilla production in Sri Lanka will further help Sri Lanka in obtaining a better position as an exporter on the global vanilla map.”
According to the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, currently Sri Lanka’s vanilla exports account for nearly 0.94% of global demand. In contrast, countries like Madagascar, the largest vanilla exporter in the world, exports 63.3% while France, the second largest, exports 6.52% of today’s global vanilla demand.
“Vanilla growers need to do some specific control practices to induce the vines’ flowering and produce good beans. They can use techniques, such as nipping the vines and increasing the sunlight on the vines by pruning the support trees” suggests Dr. Grisoni. Madergaskar exported 2,534 tonnes of vanilla for the 2020-2021 season, 35% of which went to the US and 26% to France.
Total earnings were around USD 620 million. To assist Sri Lankan Vanilla sector UNIDO in collaboration with the Department of Export Agriculture (DEA), held a series of successful farmer field training and Training of Trainers (TOT) on vanilla cultivation in Horana, Pasyala, Gampola, and Matale areas.
It is part of the BESPA-FOOD project, implemented by UNIDO and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and funded by the European Union (EU). The project supports the development of four value chains in Sri Lanka: vanilla, coconut, banana, and cassava.
“UNIDO-BESPA is moving towards transforming vanilla into a Sri Lankan dream crop” said Sampath Senanayake, National Agribusiness Specialist, UNIDO. He added that “Vanilla cultivation in Sri Lanka has grown rapidly in recent years due to the favorable climate conditions and availability of suitable lands for production. The crop has high export potential.”
“Therefore, the training aims to provide practical guidelines to farmers and extension officials (TOT) to increase their knowledge of vanilla agronomy, pollination, and basic curing practices in order to support the development of vanilla cultivation in Sri Lanka. It is an exotic spice in demand by the food industry and consumers, and most importantly, the value/weight ratio is high.”