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Early estimates of minimal damage after two cyclones hit Madagascar |
04.13.2007
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SAMBAVA, Madagascar--After six cyclones tore through the island nation earlier this year, vanilla marketers remain optimistic about the world's vanilla supply.
The exact extent of damages from Cyclone Jaya--a category 1 cyclone that hit ground here in the vanilla growing region of Sambava and Antalha April 3-- was uncertain at press time.
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"Every day communication is hard enough in a third-world country let alone during a natural disaster," said Matt Nielsen, chief operating officer, of Nielsen Massey Vanillas, based in Waukegan, Ill. Before the cyclones hit, Madagascar, the world's largest grower of vanilla, was on track for a record crop. Early estimates put the 2007 harvest coming in between 1,600 and 1,800 tons--well above the usual 1,100 to 1,200 tons, explained Nielsen. He said expected to know the full extent of damages by the end of the month.
"We we're already expecting 400 to 600 tons over the normal level," Nielsen said. "So even if there's some damage--up to 25 percent--the crop will still be OK. We're still looking at 2,000 tons worldwide for the year--and worldwide demand now is 1,500 to 1,600 tons."
While the cyclone season doesn't end until this month, Joe Basta, vice president of Custom Blending Inc., a vanilla extracts and spice processor based in Fort Collins, Colo., agreed with Nielsen. The damage from either (Cyclone Jaya and Indlalaa) is projected to have a minimal impact on the vanilla harvest and prices as the 2007 harvest was projected to be 40 percent above average yields," he said.
While the vanilla crop may have minimal loss, the country's people and infrastructure was affected. Half of the town here-- in the northern part of the country--was devastated, according to an April 5 Reuters report. The more powerful Cyclone Indlala hit on the southern edge of the vanilla growing region, killed 80 people and impacted 225,000 when it hit March 15.
Basta said mudslides, torrential rains and flooding were part of the fallout from Indlala, but it was Jaya that may have the most impact on its vanilla supplies.
"Last year we bottled roughly 185,000 gallons of high-quality vanilla extract and roughly 90 percent of the beans used for extraction were Bourbon vanilla beans from the Sambava, Antalha, Vohemar and Andapa of Madagascar," said Basta. "Roughly 80,000 farmers work in the region of SAVA, and the two areas most impacted by Cyclone Jaya were Sambava and Antalha."
While he waits for a full assessment of the vanilla bean crop--which is harvested in July--Basta said he hopes Custom Blending's efforts to support the vanilla-growing region will raise awareness for the challenges facing the country, including immediate needs following the storm and longer-term development issues like population pressures that are causing serious environmental damage to the island.
Basta said the average consumer knows very little about vanilla, which is one of the most labor-intensive crops in the world, and its growers who live off less than $1 a day.
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