MP calls for more support for local vanilla growers

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
The Government should restrict and ban buying and selling of vanilla by non-farmers, Maprik MP John Simon says.
He made the call following illegal trading of vanilla beans at the PNG-Indonesia border.
Stealing of vanilla beans among local growers in Maprik was also rife and reducing quality.
“Local growers should be encouraged to get their own exporting licences to export directly, without selling to small buyers and middlemen,” Simon said.
“This is because middlemen are buying the vanilla produce from local farmers.
“They were the ones who encourage illegal trading long the PNG-Indonesia borders.”
He said vanilla farmers were currently experiencing high prices that would not last if the quality of their beans was not maintained.
“Currently, our growers are growing two species of vanilla in this country,” he said.
“One is tahitensis and the other one is planifolia.
“In Madagascar (world’s largest vanilla producer) the bean that they grow there is planifolia.”
Simon said a few months ago the Government had placed a ban on taking vanilla across the border to Indonesia.
“That is why the control of quality in our vanilla beans in very, very important if we want to stamp our mark in the market as a vanilla-growing country,” he said.
“We have got to really protect this industry.
“If we do not control it, the quality of our vanilla will fall and this will have a great impact on the prices in the global market.
“Currently, PNG vanilla is enjoying a price which is really artificial.
“This price will definitely go down one day, and if we do not control the quality we will lose this price.