Top Vanilla Producing Countries

Vanilla, one of the world’s most valuable spices, is primarily farmed in Madagascar, which produces over 70% of the global supply, followed by Indonesia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda. Originally native to Mexico, vanilla was cultivated by the indigenous Totonac people and later adopted by the Aztecs, who flavored their chocolate beverages with it. For centuries, successful vanilla cultivation outside Mexico proved difficult because the plant relied on a specific species of Melipona bee for pollination. In 1841, a 12-year-old enslaved boy named Edmond Albius on Réunion Island discovered how to hand-pollinate vanilla flowers, revolutionizing its cultivation and enabling its spread to Madagascar and other tropical regions. Today, vanilla farming remains labor-intensive, with hand-pollination and careful curing processes, and the spice is a vital export for producing countries, especially Madagascar, where it supports thousands of smallholder farmers.

Data from United Nations FAO Stat