Two Harvests a Year, Global Demand, and Growing Opportunities: VANEX’s Prossy Tumushabe Bahiigwa on Uganda’s Vanilla
World Business Journal talks to Prossy Tumushabe Bahiigwa, Executive Director at the Association of Vanilla Exporters of Uganda, about the growth of the vanilla industry, the advantage the country has by way of two annual harvests, challenges in increasing the growers’ base, and various steps being taken to market the produce internationally.
What is the role of the Association of Vanilla Exporters of Uganda?
VANEX, founded in 2003, is a membership organisation with over 15 exporting companies that collaborate with around 65,000 smallholder growers across 38 districts. Our mission is to harmonise and coordinate efforts within Uganda’s vanilla export sector.
What is the potential of the vanilla industry in Uganda?
Vanilla stands as the second most valuable spice in the world, representing significant agricultural opportunities.
Uganda offers strong supply chain resilience as the only country with two annual vanilla harvests. It benefits from a hands-off government within a free trade zone, a long-standing presence in the US and EU markets, and a stable landlocked location with no risk of cyclones. Our vanilla boasts a high vanillin content of 4.5%, well above the global average of 2.3%. In 2024, production surged to 604 MT, driven by strong demand, increased grower confidence, and robust market engagement from exporters.
We contribute approximately 10% of the global vanilla supply, providing a reliable alternative to Madagascar, which dominates with a supply of over 70% of worldwide exports.
The economic viability of vanilla cultivation is underscored by the potential for intercropping with staple crops such as coffee, bananas, and beans. This approach can yield a potential net income of about $3,000 per acre.
Essential farming practices include hand pollination and meticulous harvest management, with Jatropha trees recommended in intercropping systems for their minimal nutrient competition.
Currently, most of the vanilla exports go to the U.S. and the EU, but there are plans to expand into the Asian market, enhancing Uganda’s global presence in the vanilla industry.
