Madagascar vanilla grades & FOB prices (2026)
Verified 2026-07-02 · Interbank rate updated 2 Jul 06:00 UTC (2h ago)
Vanilla price per kg by grade (Grade A, B, TK)
Madagascar's cured vanilla is classed by grade based on length, moisture and appearance, and the grade sets the export FOB price (Toamasina). The ranges below are indicative and market-quoted, converted to dollars, euros and Ariary at today's rate. Always confirm with an exporter.
FOB price by grade and length
| Grade | Length / moisture | Indicative FOB / kg |
|---|---|---|
Grade A (Gourmet) whole pods, premium | 16 cm+, supple, ~30–35% moisture | $140–$260 €124–€230 · 596,543–1,107,865 Ar |
Grade B (TK / red) professional use, light extraction | shorter, ~25–30% moisture | $80–$160 €71–€141 · 340,882–681,763 Ar |
Extraction (cuts / bulk) flavour, extracts | cuts, low moisture | $40–$120 €35–€106 · 170,441–511,322 Ar |
indicative rangesMarket quotes (Tridge / Procurement Resource / escale-bleue), 2026 — verify with an exporter. FX conversion is exact (Interbank rate updated 2 Jul 06:00 UTC (2h ago)).
How grades are determined
Cured vanilla is graded on four criteria: pod length, moisture content, suppleness and appearance (colour, no splits or blemishes). A Grade A / Gourmet pod is long, plump and moist — it keeps a fine look for whole-pod sale, but its high moisture means a kilo holds fewer pods. Grade B, drier, weighs "lighter" per pod and is used mainly for flavour extraction, where vanillin content matters, not looks.
That's why moisture is central to price: a pod at 35% moisture is one-third water, and professional buyers often think in "dry equivalent" or vanillin content. On export from Toamasina, lots are sorted, size-graded by length and inspected before the FOB price is set. The ranges above are market orders of magnitude: a contract's real price depends on volume, the lot's fine quality, the season and the trading relationship — which is why confirming with an exporter matters.
Frequently asked questions
Grade A (Gourmet) is longer (16 cm+), more supple and moister (~30–35%), for premium whole pods. Grade B (TK/red) is shorter and drier, for professional use and extraction. Grade A sells for notably more per kilo FOB.
For cooking or baking where the pod's look and the ability to split it matter, Grade A (Gourmet) is the classic choice. To make homemade extract, a syrup or for industrial use, Grade B and cuts — cheaper per kilo — are more economical, since vanillin is still present even if the appearance is rougher. Either way, compare the price "per gram of usable pod" rather than per raw kilo, because of the moisture differences.