Flowers bloom all year long a day, more expensive than precious metals

The world's most popular and popular spice, but few know that vanilla is the most expensive flavoring. Even the cost of vanilla is higher than silver (in terms of volume).

One reason vanilla is expensive is that vanilla is often used to extract from the crystalline layer on vanilla seeds in the fruit. However, vanilla plants grow very slowly. On average, a vanilla plant takes 2-4 years to fully mature. Not only that, vanilla flowers only bloom in one day of the year. To ensure fruiting, flowers must be pollinated that day.

Picture 1 of Flowers bloom all year long a day, more expensive than precious metals
80% of the world's vanilla plants are grown in the Northeast of Magagascar.

In most places where vanilla is grown, it is not native and there are no beetles or birds capable of pollinating flowers. Originating from Mexico but due to deforestation, vanilla habitat greatly reduced.

80% of the world's vanilla plants are grown in the Northeast of Magagascar. Here, the flowers must be pollinated by hand. After being pollinated, the vanilla fruit will gradually grow and ripen only after 10-12 months.

Not stopping there, the post-harvest processing process is also very sophisticated. Usually it takes about 3 months to get the finished product, the dark brown vanilla fruit with a wrinkled crust.

Picture 2 of Flowers bloom all year long a day, more expensive than precious metals
Another reason for the sudden increase in vanilla prices is customer tastes.

In 2014, each kilogram of vanilla is worth 80 USD (over 1.8 million VND). Only 3 years later, this figure has jumped to 600 USD (nearly 14 million VND / kg) and it is currently stable at 500 USD (nearly 11.6 million VND / kg).

Another reason for the sudden increase in vanilla prices is customer tastes . People tend to choose natural foods, leading companies and shops to gradually replace synthetic flavorings with vanilla.