Vanilla Production in Uganda Surges as Farmers Battle Thieves
- Africa nation to gain from prices that exceed those for silver
- Madagascar dominates growing of the ice cream, latte flavoring
Photographer: Fred Bahurlet/EyeEm via Getty Images
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Uganda, the world’s fourth-biggest vanilla exporter, is boosting output to benefit from prices for the flavoring that’s more valuable than silver and have forced growers to hire armed guards to deter thieves.
The landlocked East African nation will produce about 100 metric tons this year, with potential to double that in future, according to Aust & Hachmann Canada Ltd., an affiliate of the world’s oldest vanilla company. While that’s far below the 1,600 tons top-grower Madagascar can produce, extra Ugandan output would diversify global supplies and see farmers of some of the world’s potentially best beans reap as much as $600,000 per ton, company director David van der Walde said.