Bourbon vanilla, agriculture and heritage

A series of crises

Thoughit was the leader on the world market during the nineteenth century, bourbon vanilla has since passed through a series of crises which have relegated the commodity to the rank of "heritage" crop. The 1930s sounded the death knell for the heyday of Bourbon vanilla with the emergence of more competitive vanilla-producing countries, such as Madagascar.

In the 1980s, the industry alsofaced difficulties in the form of poor management of private institutions andcooperatives. As it is less profitable, vanilla production is gradually being replaced with other crops. Some family producers still continue production dueto a certain “attachment” to the crop. In a few decades, vanilla production in Réunion has declined from intensive production to a purely "heritage"commodity.

Vanilla - a complex situation

Vanilla production in Reunion has become marginalized and occupies only 0.4% of the island, according to the latest statistics. 1.4% of farms on the island grow vanilla, confirming the inevitable decline in production which began decades ago. Vanilla still occupies an important place in the heart of Reunion’sconsumers, who, according to surveys, associate vanilla with local expertise. According to Camille Demené, PhD student at the CIRAD in Reunion, "according to farmers, local communities and consumers, it appears that vanilla has a more complex position than quantitative indicators suggest, hence the importance instudying the cultural, tourist and environmental  effects of vanilla industry. "

Enhancing the benefits

Today, vanilla is an emblem of the island’s heritage,a status that it deserves. To promote this product and better control its production, several scenarios are possible and can be combined:

• Increase productivitythrough more intensive production systems. This is the case today in shadehouses.But this system has its drawbacks: some producers argue that it is better togrow vanilla in a forest environment, a more traditional method of production.In addition, shadehouses require significant technical mastery.

• Improve the quality of the product and enhance the vanilla niche markets. "Different approaches to certificationhave been undertaken or are underway: an IGP request was submitted to the INAOin 2008, and the Provanille cooperative has begun producing organic vanilla. Other strategies have been developed by private producers with some vanilla producers participating in competitions (the Paris Agricultural Show). Both approaches areintended to set apart the production of vanilla in Reunion or streng then its position in more profitable niche markets ".

• There is another, environmental, angle to the woodland production of vanilla. In certain cases, producers help in the fight against invasive alien species, or assist in ecological restoration on plots managed by the ONF.