Vanilla is an orchid and is said to be the „queen of spices”. Vanilla mainly two verities ,vanilla planifolia and Vanilla tahitensis. vanilla planifolia is cultivated in Madagascar,India,Uganda and superior in quality. Vanilla tahitensis is mainly cultivated in Indonesia. Cultivation, pollination and curing is labour intensive process.   In the tropical bushes the vanilla grows wild on trees.  Mainly cultivated on gliricidia tree (sheema konna).  In India (kerala and Karnataka main growing area) planting using 1 mtre cutting of vine in pre mansoon with cow dung and vermin compost.  After cultivation two three times of cow dung and vermin compost with Trichoderma viride (a bio fungicide) and spraying of pseudomonas.  After two years the plants shows the starting of flowering but after three years it fully start to flower.  In India the flowering season is februvary-march ,after the withering of winter and on set of summer.  The flower need hand pollination, ie the pollinating agents are only present in Mexico.  The pollinated flower become matured beans after nine months.  The harvesting start in November and upto December, After the harvest, the beans are put into hot water in order to stop the maturation

SWEATING
The beans are wrapped in blankets to lock in the heat. Within the first two days of the curing process, the beans inherit their dark brown colour.

Sun drying

Expose the the beans in sun light on blanket for one hour every day for 9-11 days

Slow drying

After sun drying the beans spread on racks with good ventilation for one month

Conditioning

Sort out the slow dried beans from the racks and packed in box line with wax papper for further development of aroma and flavour

During the long curing process the vanillin develops. Vanillin is the most important ingredient of the vanilla bean. The beans get thinner and turn from green to brown

After the curing process the vanilla beans are graded according to their moisture content, length and quality

The whole season of vanilla is same as in India and Sri Lanka

Vanillin content we getting 1.6 to 2.4 % mostly