Kochi: A team from Madagascar, the world leader in vanilla production is expected to visit India in September to explore the scope for forming a global body for the promotion of vanilla.

The proposed body, consisting of all vanilla producing countries in the world would be on the lines of the International Pepper Community. It will promote and propagate the use of natural vanilla and also share information which would help to keep the prices at realistic levels.

The Spice Board Chairman, C J Jose, who had visited Madagascar recently, says that compared to Madagascar, India had an edge on the quality of vanilla, its productivity and also the cultivation practices.

Jose had detailed discussions with representatives of vanilla growers, processors and officials in Madagascar. In view of the fall in production by around 500 tonnes last year and the resultant increase in prices to Rs 4,000 per kg, vanilla growers in Madagascar had gone around pollinating the flowers. This could yield smaller beans of an inferior quality.

However, this year, the production was expected to double. With a view to getting a better price, traders had been trying to delay exports from Madagascar even though harvesting was on. The real price situation can therefore be gauged only by November-December when the exports from Madagascar were expected, the sources added.

Another edge for the Indian variety was that the vanilla grown in Indonesia was alleged to have mercury residues. The Indian variety has higher bourbon content and had wider acceptance in the market. The production last year was 130 tonnes.

This is expected to touch 200 tonnes this year. An area of l3,600 hectares was under vanilla cultivation, but only 1,000 hectares were yielding.