Global Vanilla Trade Flows & Market Outlook (2026–2027)
Who ships vanilla, who buys it, and at what declared value — built from 2024 UN Comtrade customs data (HS 0905) published by the World Bank WITS database.
Introduction
Vanilla is a thin, concentrated market: a single origin supplies most of the world, and a handful of flavour houses and food manufacturers absorb most of the volume. Understanding where the tonnes actually move is the first step to negotiating sensibly.
All figures below are 2024 customs declarations for HS code 0905 (vanilla), as reported to UN Comtrade and published by the World Bank's WITS database. Declared customs values are not contract prices, and exporter and importer records do not always match because of timing, re-exports and valuation differences.
Madagascar's 2024 Export Book
Madagascar reported vanilla exports of 4,544 tonnes worth $231.6 million in 2024 — an average declared value of roughly $51 per kilogram, consistent with the post-floor correction visible in our price benchmark.
- France — 1,711 t ($86.1M). Still the largest single destination, reflecting Europe's processing and re-export hubs.
- United States — 1,278 t ($66.4M) as declared by Madagascar.
- Canada — 609 t ($27.2M).
- Netherlands — 321 t ($15.2M).
- Germany — 299 t ($19.1M).
The United States Import Mix
US customs recorded 2,600 tonnes of vanilla imports worth $134.8 million in 2024. Madagascar supplied about 79% of that volume, but the US-side figure (2,057 t) is far higher than Madagascar's own declared shipments to the US — a reminder that cargo often reaches America via France, Canada and other intermediaries.
- Madagascar — 2,057 t ($107.3M), about $52/kg declared.
- Uganda — 272 t ($12.1M), about $44/kg — the clear second origin.
- Indonesia — 170 t ($8.7M), about $51/kg.
- Papua New Guinea — 19 t ($1.9M), about $98/kg — small, premium-priced volumes.
- France — 14 t ($1.1M), largely re-exported or processed product.
What Declared Unit Values Tell Buyers
Dividing declared value by declared weight gives a rough average unit value. In 2024 those averages clustered around $44–52/kg for the main origins — far below the $600+/kg peaks of 2018–19. They blend every grade, from gourmet whole beans to extraction cuts, so they set a floor for context, not a price for any specific lot.
For a buyer, the practical takeaway is diversification: Uganda and Indonesia already supply meaningful volume at comparable declared values, which reduces dependence on a single cyclone-exposed origin.
Outlook for 2026–2027
The 2024 data describes a market that has corrected, not one that is short. Prices could move again if a major cyclone hits the SAVA region, Madagascar reintroduces export price controls, or demand for natural over synthetic vanillin strengthens. None of these is predictable, so treat any forecast — including ours — as a scenario, not a promise.
Buyers who lock specifications (moisture, vanillin, grade) and maintain at least two approved origins are best placed to absorb the next swing. Compare origins on our live directory and model landed costs before committing to volume.