Chief: Vanilla farming widespread

Vanilla farming is now widespread in Papua New Guinea with most provinces producing the crop, an official says.
Vanilla is grown in coastal provinces – mostly Momase, Southern and the New Guinean Islands – while certain varieties are being cultivated in the Highlands.
PNG Spice Industry Board chief executive officer Dr Nelson Simbiken said one of the issues facing vanilla production in the country was quality but this could be addressed with a review of the PNG Spice Industry Act of 1989.
“Highlands provinces like Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, Jiwaka, Western Highlands, and the vanilla variety that is growing up there are plentiful and they can get 18-centimetres to 20cm of vanilla beans, that is from one variety,” he said.
He said the Planifolia variety grew well in highlands conditions while the Tahitiensis variety suited coastal conditions.