Where is vanilla cultivation in Sri Lanka?

Vanilla cultivation areas in Sri Lanka

Vanilla is a variety of orchids and it is the second most expensive spice in the world. Of the 20000 orchids, vanilla is the only orchid we use for food. It needs a tree, pole, or other support to grow because it grows as a vine. We have to maintain this plant very carefully until harvesting. vanilla plantation needs high labor involvement.

In Sri Lanka, the central hill countryside has good weather (wet weather) conditions to grow vanilla. The most popular and fastest growing areas are Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, and Kegalle.

At present, vanilla cultivation is spreading to Daraniyagla, Ratnapura, and the Sinharaja forest range. Vanilla grows well at 1000 meters above sea level, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, and rainfall ranging from 2000 to 2500 millimeters.

Furthermore, vanilla is a shade-loving plant and the supportive trees give 50–60% shade to the plant.

Standard quality specifications to identify good quality vanilla beans

Length of Beans/pods	6 inches – 9 inches
Smell	Inherited vanilla smell/ sweet, creamy, and aromatic
Color	Dark brown or black color
Appearance	Soft/Shiny oily surface
Moisture	around 25%-30%
Cleanness	Lack of extraneous matter, animal o plant parts, or insects

Vanilla is a fully natural and organically grown spice in all growing regions.

So, they grow in rich organic soil, and the farmers apply compost at the beginning of each rainy season.

Purchasing a vanilla bean is the ultimate for cooking, the cosmetic industry, and the pharmaceutical industry. Hence, it is widely used for its fragrance and anti-aging benefits.

As a leading supplier in Sri Lanka, Acril supplies fully hand-cured vanilla beans to the international market. Buy our premium quality vanilla, the seeds or pods, as a natural flavoring in your food or for industrial uses.