Why are vanilla beans so expensive?

One reason vanilla has gotten so expensiveis, it’s hard to grow. Vanilla vines take two to four yearsto fully mature, and their flowers only bloom for one day of theyear. In order for the plants to produce beans, they have tobe pollinated that day. In the 1980s, cheaper artificialvanilla overtook the market.Click to see full answer. Also question is, why is vanilla extract so expensive 2019?Over 80% ofthe world’s vanilla is grown on the island of Madagascar,which has been recently hit with terrible weather. Failed cropyields have caused the prices of vanilla beans to soar tonearly $600 per kilogram, which is 10 times more expensivethan it was a few years ago.Likewise, how much are vanilla beans per pound? There may beanywhere from approximately 90-150 beans per pound ofMadagascar gourmet vanilla beans; more for the regularlength vanilla beans and somewhat fewer for the longervanilla beans. Exact amount will vary depending on the sizeof the vanilla beans and their moisturecontent. Correspondingly, how much do vanilla beans cost? “Each flower is hand-pollinated, and each beanhandpicked,” she says. Then, the beans are dried and curedfor several months to intensify the flavor. Six of Rain’svanilla beans cost $14.95; a 4-ounce bottle of extract sellsfor $8.25.Why is there a vanilla bean shortage?Vanilla farmers are contributing to the highprices by harvesting beans early and skimping on theprocessing, resulting in lower quality beans with lessflavor. Companies known for producing high quality flavorings won’tbuy these beans, so while they are out there, theydon’t help alleviate the shortage.