Vanilla Farmers Urged to Expand Production as Global Demand Grows

Ugandan vanilla farmers have been urged to increase production to take advantage of growing international demand, with stakeholders citing the crop’s quality and export potential as opportunities to boost farm incomes and foreign exchange earnings.

The Ministry of Agriculture, vanilla exporters and processors say Uganda could strengthen its position in the global vanilla trade because of the high vanillin content in its beans. Vanillin is the compound responsible for vanilla’s characteristic aroma and is an important quality indicator.

Reports from the Sustainable Vanilla Initiative rate Uganda’s vanilla vanillin content at 4.5 out of five, which stakeholders say gives the country a competitive advantage in the international market.

However, production is reportedly declining as some farmers abandon or cut down their plantations because of fluctuating prices, theft and other challenges, even as demand for the crop continues to grow.

Barbara Komushaago, the vanilla focal person at the Ministry of Agriculture, says Uganda could become a leading player in the global vanilla market if farmers are encouraged to maintain and expand their plantations.

“According to reports made by the Sustainable Vanilla Initiative, Uganda has the highest vanillin content compared to other countries. Our vanillin content is above four per cent. If you compare it with that of other countries, you can see that Uganda’s vanilla is of high quality compared with that of competing nations,” Komushaago said.

She said Uganda produced more than 603 metric tonnes of vanilla in 2024, earning about $21.9 million. However, exports declined to approximately 455 metric tonnes last year, generating about $16.19 million.

Komushaago attributed the decline to climate change, price fluctuations that discouraged farmers and widespread theft of the crop, whose high value makes it a target.

Uganda is currently the world’s second-largest vanilla producer after Madagascar. Despite its production potential, the crop is grown in only 37 districts, leaving room for expansion into other suitable areas.

Vanilla Awards to Motivate Farmers

To encourage farmers to maintain their plantations despite price fluctuations, stakeholders led by Enimiro Uganda, a vanilla processor, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and vanilla exporters, have introduced annual awards to recognise outstanding growers.

The initiative is intended to motivate farmers to sustain production, improve yields and take advantage of opportunities in the international market.

The awards ceremony was held at Enimiro Uganda’s vanilla processing plant in Kayunga District, where Sulaiman Kisuze from Kayunga was recognised as the best vanilla farmer for 2026.

Melindar Atuhaire, the chief operations officer at Enimiro Uganda, said the company sources vanilla from 24 districts but requires significantly more produce to meet growing customer demand.

Atuhaire said the company currently purchases up to 250 metric tonnes of vanilla from farmers each season and hopes to increase procurement to 500 metric tonnes.

“Every season, we buy up to 250 metric tonnes from farmers in different areas, and we would love to reach 500 metric tonnes per season because every day we see our customer base growing. My encouragement to farmers out there is to grow more vanilla,” Atuhaire said.

She acknowledged that the prevailing farm-gate price remained a concern but said the company was working with the government and other stakeholders to explore ways of securing better prices for growers.

“Yes, the price is still low, but we are working with the government and other stakeholders to see how best we can get a premium price,” she added.

The company's procurement ambitions highlight the need for increased production to ensure a consistent supply of quality beans for processing and export.

Despite the opportunities, farmers say price fluctuations, harvesting regulations and theft remain major challenges.

Benon Abaine, a vanilla farmer from Ibanda District, welcomed the annual awards, saying the recognition could encourage growers to remain in the business despite the difficulties.

Abaine, who started growing vanilla three years ago, said he had no regrets about investing in the crop, even with prices currently low.

He said vanilla remained a worthwhile agricultural enterprise because farmers could earn substantial income from relatively small quantities of produce.

“Though the price is still at Shs20,000 per kilogramme, it is currently hard to find an agricultural product fetching such a price in Uganda. We shall therefore continue growing vanilla as we wait for prices to stabilise,” Abaine said.

He said he harvested approximately 600 kilogrammes during his first season, with the yield increasing to one metric tonne in the following season, earning him about Shs20 million.

The income has encouraged him to continue growing vanilla as an additional source of earnings.

However, Abaine criticised the government’s practice of setting national harvesting dates, arguing that growing seasons vary across the country depending on local conditions.

He said a uniform harvesting calendar inconveniences farmers in areas where vanilla matures earlier than in other regions.

“Every part of the country has a different season. You cannot set a fixed date for vanilla harvesting. We have experienced instances where our vanilla beans dry in the gardens while we wait for the government's green light allowing us to harvest,” Abaine said.

He also identified theft as a major challenge, noting that farmers risk losing their produce before harvesting.

The concerns highlight the need to balance harvesting regulations intended to protect quality with the different growing conditions across vanilla-producing regions.

Farmers Urged to Diversify

With approximately 80 per cent of Uganda’s land classified as arable, exporters believe the country has considerable potential to expand vanilla production beyond the 37 districts where it is currently grown.

They are encouraging farmers in suitable areas to consider vanilla as an additional cash crop, citing the availability of buyers and the potential for increased export demand.

However, stakeholders caution against relying exclusively on vanilla because its prices can fluctuate significantly depending on supply, demand and changing international market conditions.

Gael Lescornec, executive director of the Sustainable Vanilla Initiative, described vanilla as a high-value but volatile crop, urging farmers to remain committed to production even when prices decline.

Lescornec said farmers could diversify into other crops during periods of low vanilla prices without abandoning their plantations.

“Farmers can focus on some crops when the prices for vanilla are low, but they should not abandon vanilla growing,” Lescornec said.

The advice comes amid concerns that farmers who cut down their plantations when prices fall could miss out when market conditions improve.

Stakeholders say maintaining vanilla gardens while investing in other agricultural enterprises could help farmers manage price risks and maintain income throughout the year.

Ugandan Vanilla Targets International Markets

Sam Himstedt, an international vanilla specialist and board member at Enimiro Uganda, said Ugandan vanilla was attracting interest from international markets, including the United States, Europe and Japan.

Himstedt expressed confidence in the quality of Ugandan vanilla, saying the country’s produce had the potential to compete favourably with that of other producing nations.

Growing interest in these markets could provide additional incentives for farmers to increase production, provided they maintain quality standards and ensure a reliable supply.

For Uganda to benefit fully, stakeholders say increased production must be accompanied by efforts to address price instability, theft and other challenges affecting farmers.

They also emphasise the need to support growers in maintaining quality, improving farm management and sustaining production over the long term.

As demand for Ugandan vanilla grows, the challenge will be to translate the country’s quality advantage into better earnings for farmers while expanding supply to meet the needs of processors and international buyers.

Stakeholders hope the annual vanilla awards, combined with closer collaboration among farmers, processors, exporters and the government, will revive interest in the crop and strengthen Uganda’s position in the global vanilla trade.