Successful experiment ushers new era of spice production

Scientists at the Spice Research Centre (SRC) in Bogura have succeeded in cultivating vanilla plants with seeds and blooming flowers, ushering in a new era of vanilla spice production and commercialisation in the country.

The plant is the source for natural vanilla, which is considered to be the second most expensive spice in the globe, running only behind saffron. It is popularly used as a flavour enhancer in foods such as ice cream, cakes, chocolates, desserts, pies, and custards.

Originally native to Mexico, the plant belongs to a species of orchid named Vanilla Planifolia that usually grows well in hot, wet, and tropical climates.

The plant is a small dark green creeper with yellow flowers. When the short-lived flower is pollinated, it produces fruits similar to yardlong beans that contain many tiny seeds. The vanilla flavour is made from the essential oil contained in these seeds.

Speaking about their experiment, Dr Haridas Chandra Mohonto, chief scientific officer of Bogura SRC said plant cuttings were brought from Indonesia and planted experimentally in 2019.

Vanilla plants flower after three years. The flowers are then artificially pollinated. The plants have grown and started bearing fruit recently after being pollinated.

“After three years of raising the seedling, it has flowered and fruited this year. The creeper plant has grown quite a bit,” said Abu Hena Faisal Fahim, a scientific officer of SRC.

He said vanilla plants bear fruit in March-April, and the fruit ripens in November and December. The essential oil is then extracted from the ripe fruits.

SRC scientists expect that successfully cultivating the spice in our country will help reduce our import and foreign dependence. Apart from food items, the flavour is also used in cosmetics and perfumes.

Commercial cultivation underway

After the success of vanilla cultivation, research is now underway on commercial cultivation.

Currently, Madagascar and Indonesia are the leading vanilla exporters in the world, while Bangladesh is completely dependent on import for the spice, despite it being in high demand across the country for decades.

SRC’s Abu Henna said vanilla plants can be cultivated in a small area and do not waste excessive land mass. The plant can be cultivated in high places, hilly forests, orchards, and under the shade of large trees in yards.

He added that they are optimistic about the potential production of this expensive spice, after researching and following the proper process, the vanilla flavour will be extracted.

SRC will apply for clearance from the Ministry of Agriculture in March 2023 if further experiments are successful. They want to spread this spice farming method across the country after getting approval from the ministry.

“We are also researching climate-suitable varieties of this plant. The improved new cultivars developed in this research will increase production and productivity,” Abu Hena said.

Chief Scientific Officer Dr Haridas Chandra, said, vanilla plant cultivation has immense potential in our country.

“If the final phase of the experiment is successful, we can decrease the import to meet the country’s demand. And expanding the cultivation can even earn foreign currency by exporting vanilla,” said Haridas adding that research and their relentless efforts are going on to succeed in all those steps.

SRC was established in 1995 in Shibganj upazila of the district to increase the production of spices and reduce import dependence. The scientific officers of the research centre have so far developed 50 varieties of 24 spice crops.

These include seven varieties of onions, pepper, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, black cumin, fenugreek, fennel, plum, and improved varieties of cinnamon. Some of these are now being commercially cultivated.

Apart from these, various other spices including black cardamom, pulao leaf, lemongrass, mango ginger, cubeb pepper, chives, allspice, curry leaves, pistachio, and nutmeg are in the development process at the SRC.