The so-called vanilla crisis was defused yesterday. A government delegation met with industry players in Sambava.
Much noise for nothing. The images made the rounds on social media yesterday. Vanilla growers and exporters demonstrated in Antalaha against the decisions taken by the State since 2020, including the obligation to repatriate foreign currency, the establishment of floor prices, and the creation of the National Vanilla Council. Measures considered by some politicians and operators as a desire to monopolize the vanilla sector.
Maneuvers have thus been carried out to undermine the green vanilla campaign and especially the export campaign. To lower the floor price of 250 dollars per kilo of vanilla for export, large foreign customers shunned Madagascan vanilla. It is not known whether this is an illegal or even mafia-like agreement of certain large companies, as was the case with perfumes and aromas. The Swiss Competition Committee has opened an investigation into this affair which involves several companies. The same scent of scandal could reach vanilla.
We are not certain but the fact remains that the export campaign has been disrupted. As a result, growers and exporters began to raise their voices. As the situation has not changed, they decided to make themselves heard by demonstrating in the street, burning tires that some have likened to vanilla to create more sensation.
Middle ground
A government delegation made up of three ministers, namely the Minister of Industrialization, Trade and Consumption Edgard Razafindravahy, the Minister of the Interior and Decentralization Justin Tokely and the Secretary of State for the Gendarmerie Serge Gellé rushed to Sambava yesterday. Some people dissuaded them from going there on the pretext that the situation was very tense and that they risked being taken to task by the population. But the three ministers have not given up on their mission. They met the SOS vanilla association chaired by former deputy Jean Pierre Laisoa dit Jaovato.
After several hours of discussion in a relaxed and cordial atmosphere, the misunderstandings were cleared up. The two parties have found common ground. In accordance with the wishes of vanilla planters and stakeholders, the National Vanilla Council will be open to their representatives. The CNV budget will be more oriented towards planters, and in particular to support hallmarking and traceability, quality improvement and the well-being of planters.
The State has also agreed to grant approvals to new applications. On the other hand, the floor prices were maintained and everyone recognized their usefulness after an explanation. Currency repatriation remains mandatory, but the exporter is free to apply the 70/30 rule. These are the outlines of the Sambava meeting. All in all, the tension maintained for several days was only a storm in a glass of water. As proof, all it took was a face-to-face meeting to iron out the problems.