Tension between International buyers of vanilla and Mala-gasy authorities came to a climax these last weeks as exports were quasi stopped by Malagasy export control authorities and a number of International buyers boycotted Madagascar as a source of supply of vanilla beans. US, French, European Union authorities intervened with the Malagasy authorities.
On Thursday February 9th a meeting with registered export-ers was organized in the Presidential Palace of Iavoloha, in the presence of the Minister of Industrialization, Com-merce and Consumption, Edgard Razafindravahy and the Minister of Economy and Finance, Rindra Hasimbelo Rabarinirinarison, under the authority of President Andry Rajoelina, and
exporters were ordered to buy vanilla from farmers. “The 88 approved exporters will renew their purchase commitment on Monday February 13, 2023 at the latest in accordance with their export approval. They undertake more particularly, within 15 days, to proceed with the actual purchase of the entire quantity of vanilla authorized in their approvals”
specified the Presidency in a press release.
Insofar as the approved exporters do not honor their com-mitment, it is the State which will take charge of the case, and may thus impose penalties on the exporters. The resolution of the meeting in high places indicates that
“In the event of failure on their part,
the remaining quantity not purchased will be reallocated by the State for the benefit of the other exporters
and will be the subject of a new approval”.
In return for this renewal of commitment, the State also undertakes to carry out a “road show” with exporters to set up purchasing plans and to convince potential international buyers.
We shall be presenting within a few days in our Newsletter an analysis of these declarations and decisions and their ef-fects
collateral effect the whole situation of the vanilla industry.
We shall also present before the end of February the results of
our last Vanilla Field Survey with a focus on farmers in-come.