മലയാളിയുടെ വാനില...... തമിഴന്റെ വെണ്ണിലാ...

ഇതു വാനിലയുടെ നല്ല കാലത്ത് എഴുതിയ ഒരു സ്റ്റോറി. തമിഴിലും തെലുങ്കിലും തുടങ്ങി കുറെ ഏറെ ഭാഷകളിലെ പത്രങ്ങളില്‍ ഇതിന്റെ പരിഭാഷ വന്നിരുന്നു.

വെറുമൊരു വള്ളി മാത്രമായ വാനിലയെ ചെടി (ട്രീ ) എന്നു വിശേഷിപ്പിച്ചതു തെറ്റ് എന്നു കുറെ ഏറെ കാര്‍ഷിക ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞര്‍ പറയുകയും ചെയ്തിരുന്നു.

ഈ സ്റ്റോറിയില്‍ വാനില കര്‍ഷകര്‍ക്ക് ഒരു ജാക്ക് പോട്ട് ആണെന്ന് എഴുതിയിരുന്നു. ജാക്ക് പോട്ട് എപ്പോഴും വലിയ പ്രശ്നങ്ങള്‍ക്കു മുന്നോടിയായുള്ള ചെറിയൊരു ആശ്വാസം മാത്രമായിരിക്കും. ആതു വാനിലയുടെ കാര്യത്തിലും സത്യമായി വന്നു എന്നു കാലം തെളിയിച്ചു.

THE WONDERLAND OF VANILLA...

M. Smithy

This is the story of a tree. A tree, which has become a real jackpot for the farmers in Kerala. When the cash crop cultivators are able to get more than one million rupees for a pack of 100 kg, which word other than jackpot is suitable to describe it? Yes, vanilla is creating history among the farmers in Kerala. Various factors ranging from the health consciousness in the international market to the humidity level of the Kerala plantations acted as a catalyst in this regard.
This elite spice is getting Rs1,100 per kg in the form of beans itself. Its value increases ten times when it is dried and processed. Remember that the processing is very simple in comparison with the processing of rubber and other cash crops. And, in short, the farmer is able to earn more than Rs10,000 for one kilogram of dried vanilla which is produced at his own land and processed without any external help. The value of the vanilla essence is many folds, double than the value of dried and processed vanilla. But extracting the essence of vanilla is a complicated process. Hence farmers used to sell their product either at the beans stage or in the dried and processed form.
The value of vanilla is determined in the market according to the length and maturity of the beans. Usually, vanilla is categorized into three grades. The beans of 6 inch and above are included in the first quality vanilla. The beans of smaller length are categorized into second and third quality.
This high price phenomenon of vanilla was contributed by the high demand of this agri-product in the international market. The tasty vanilla ice cream needs no introduction. But this popular flavour was produced with some synthetic products, mainly based on the petroleum jelly, by many of the manufacturers. Only recently, the health-conscious international market turned down this synthetic process and demanded the use of real vanilla for the flavour. That was the beginning of the ever-rising graph of vanilla price in international market. The United States is the major customer of vanilla essence. The vanilla market of the United States shows a positive growth. This increases the hopes of vanilla growers in Kerala.
What is vanilla? The Spices Board describes this climbing orchid as the second most expensive spice after saffron. Vanilla is valued for its pleasant flavour. It is indigenous to South East Mexico and originated in the humid tropical rain forests. As much as 90 per cent of the vanilla production comes from the Indian Ocean Island nations - Madagascar and Indonesia. They are the major contributors of vanilla to the international market. The total import of vanilla by the consumer countries is about 2,500 tons with an average increase of 10 per cent each year. At present, the total supply of vanilla to the international market is not able to cater to the needs of the importing countries. Besides the U.S.A., France and Germany are the major importers of vanilla. Other countries in the European Union also consume vanilla for flavouring ice creams and soft drinks. We could have an idea about the significance of vanilla in financial terms only with an analysis of the international trade statistics. Vanilla beans constitute only 0.7 per cent of the world spice imports in terms of volume. But when we analyse its monetary value, things are entirely different. Only with this 0.7 per cent volume, vanilla earns up to 7 per cent of the money coming to the entire spice import market of the world.
According to the analysts, the arrival of vanilla is 600-750 tons less than the demand at present. This opportunity is the factor which attracted more countries to the wonderland of vanilla. Even China and Mexico have entered the field of vanilla cultivation. In India, progressive farmers had started their venture with vanilla a few years ago. And that helped them enjoy the present high price in the international market. The Spices Board had launched a massive promotion programme for vanilla. It is trying to popularize vanilla as an intercrop in coconut plantations. This has to play a significant role in the agro-economy of Kerala, as coconut farmers in the State are facing a drastic price fall. The studies carried out by the Spices Board have revealed that the cultivation practices are more apt for plantations that are receiving high rainfall, mostly located on the higher elevations and sub-tropical conditions. The same crop can be introduced as an intercropping component in coconut plantations in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The Spices Board has started advanced research on the cultivation practices of vanilla in India in association with the Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Myladumpara. The germplasm repository of Myladumpara includes almost all the collections from India and abroad. A nursery of vanilla is also maintained there for production of planting materials on a largescale.
There are more than 50 species of vanilla, but only three of them are economically relevant. They are Vanilla Planifolia Andrews, Vanilla Pompona Schiede and Vanilla Tahitensis J.W. More. Vanilla grows better in areas with an annual rainfall between 150 to 300 cm and a temperature range of 25-32 degrees centigrade. It requires warm, moist conditions and strong wind detrimentals. Vanilla could be cultivated up to a mean sea level of 1000 metres. In India, vanilla cultivation is feasible in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, the North East region, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands besides Kerala.
Vanilla planting is normally done with the cuttings obtained from healthy, vigorous plants. The seed propagation of vanilla is not simple. Tissue culture plantlets of vanilla are largely available nowadays. Natural pollination in vanilla is commonly found only in Mexico. Hence, artificial pollination is very important during the commercial cultivation. This has to be done in the early hours of the day and should be on the same day of the flower opening. The process of artificial pollination is very interesting. This could be effectively done with the help of a bamboo splinter, toothpick or the stems of stiff grass. For this, the farmer will hold the flower with his left hand. The labellum should be pushed down with thumb and the column should be released. Then the rostellum should be lifted up with splinter and pollinia should be gently pressed and squeezed to expose stigma. After this process of artificial pollination, unfertile flowers drop off in a day or two.In India, vanilla is normally not used due to the non-availability and its high price. Instead of vanilla, a chemical called ethyl vanillin is being used by many of the manufactures here. But it does not have the rich taste or sound flavour of the original vanilla. In the long run natural vanilla will be used in India also. On the international scene as well the synthetic vanilla contributes 95 per cent of the vanilla flavour.