While the vanilla sector has been the subject of numerous debates in recent weeks in Madagascar, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Consumption spoke about the reforms undertaken to stabilize and clean up the sector. The Big Island represents 80% of world vanilla production and exported 2,300 tons of pods during the last campaign. Demand for liberalization from certain operators and planters, suspicion of monopoly within the sector, difficulty in enforcing minimum prices, the sector has sparked controversy in recent days.
With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Laetitia Bezain
“ There is no monopoly, but operators must meet the criteria to be able to export abroad “, assures the Ministry of Commerce. The latter has received more than 260 applications for vanilla export approval.
For the time being, only 70 operators have obtained their license renewal. Exporters who presented the certificate proving a repatriation of currencies, indicated the Minister of Industry, Trade and Consumption, Edgard Razafindravahy. The study of new requests is still in progress.
Another condition to be met in order to obtain this approval, which is essential for any company wishing to export the precious black pods: to sell effectively at the minimum price of 250 dollars per kilo.
During the previous campaign, illegal arrangements or false declarations had enabled certain operators to market their vanilla at a lower price on the international market. A loss of revenue for the Malagasy state, but also of income for farmers.
The Minister of Commerce also announced the establishment of a laboratory to guarantee the quality and traceability of Malagasy beans. A meeting with approved exporters is scheduled for next week in Antalaha, the vanilla capital.