Indian Institute of Spices Research

Package of Practice - Vanilla

Post Harvest Technology

The beans or pods are ready for harvest 6-9 months after flowering. The beans can be considered as mature when they change from green to pale yellow. At this time, the pods may be 12-25 cm long. It is essential to harvest the pods at the right stage, as immature pods produce inferior product and over mature pods split during curing. The right picking stage is when the distal end of the pod starts turning yellow and fine yellow streaks appear on the pods. Daily picking of mature pods is essential. The pods can be harvested by cutting with a knife.
A good vanillery yields about 300-600 kg of cured beans per hectare per year. About 6 kg of green pod produce 1 kg cured beans. One kg green beans cost Rs.160-300 at present. The yield of the vine declines after 12-14 years.