Fungus infection to hit Kerala's vanilla output

Production of vanilla beans in Kerala is likely to be confined to a mere 200-300 tonnes in the coming season that begins in October, as a major chunk of plantations in the state has spoiled completely due to wide spread fungus infection.

Plantations, especially in places such as Koothattukualam, Ramamangalam and Muvattupuzha of Ernakulam district, have suffered heavily due to the fungus attack.

According to M C Saju, a vanilla planter and director of Vanilla India Producers Company (Vanilco), around 1,200 acres of vanilla plantations have been damaged, therefore, production from these areas would be almost nil in the coming season. He also said fungal infection has limited the possibilities of re-planting of plantations, so output will be affected further.

In Kerala production in 2008-09 season was around 600 tonnes. This fall in production has pushed prices up. Green beans have fetched Rs 125 a kg in the last season and a sharp price rise is expected in the next season as well. Saju said that the next season would open with a price tag of Rs 200 a kg and it might go up to Rs 350 a kg.