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Vanishing Vanilla

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Posted on December 11, 2008 by Claire Adamsick

Holiday bakers, take note: Vanilla might be harder to get because of a deadly fungus attacking Madagascar’s vanilla crops.

The island off the coast of Africa produces 60 percent of the world’s vanilla, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. Nearly 80 percent of the country’s plantations are affected.

It's bad news for Madagascar, too. Vanilla sales, primarily to the U.S. and Europe, typically yield hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

Researchers say the fungus is a result of planting crops too close together, which spreads disease rapidly between plants. Replanting is an option, but because of vanilla’s five-year life cycle, it will take years to make up for the loss.

Better save enough of that gingerbread dough to last until 2013 — and hope Madagascar's farmers can sustain themselves until the next harvest.

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Comments

Thu, 12/18/2008 - 03:53 — Anonymous (not verified) in India

Dear Claire, I am farmer, and

Dear Claire,

I am farmer, and processor in India. Are you certain about this virus spreading through the vanilla bush?? Please let me know, and also how you know, since this can very seriously impact the current situation for prices that are holding currently.

Thank you,
Bob Valy

Thu, 12/18/2008 - 15:17 — Claire Adamsick in Portland, OR

Vanilla Price Concerns

Hi, Bob,

Many thanks for your comment.

My primary source came via an AP wire posted on the following environmentally-focused Web site, mongabay.com:

http://news.mongabay.com/2008/1208-vanilla.html

However, an article in this week's Denver Post online might be reassuring to you, as it says: "The effects of a fungus plaguing vanilla plants in Madagascar will not emerge immediately in the market, as the pods spend about nine months on the vine before being picked and dried."

http://www.denverpost.com/food/ci_11239864

Thu, 07/23/2009 - 18:29 — Anonymous (not verified) in australia

thankyou

your article was a great help to my sucess in a school project. although it wasnt very large i believe you put in the right information to summarise the issue.

thankyou

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