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time to stock up on my favorite vanilla
Dec. 8th, 2008 08:39 amDeadly, incurable vanilla fungus hits Madagascar
Madagascar farming officials say a deadly and incurable crop disease has spread widely in the island's main vanilla-producing area.Assessment teams say in a report released Monday that the world's main vanilla producer has to radically change farming methods to fight the fungus attacking plants at the root.
Malagasy agronomic research chief Simeon Rakotomamonjy says the situation is "critical." He says the disease has hit 80 percent of plantations around Sambava and Andapa, two of three main centers of vanilla production on the Indian Ocean island's northeast coast.
Most of Madagascar's vanilla is exported to the United States, where it is used for making confectionary, soft drinks and ice cream.
Madagascar farming officials say a deadly and incurable crop disease has spread widely in the island's main vanilla-producing area.Assessment teams say in a report released Monday that the world's main vanilla producer has to radically change farming methods to fight the fungus attacking plants at the root.
Malagasy agronomic research chief Simeon Rakotomamonjy says the situation is "critical." He says the disease has hit 80 percent of plantations around Sambava and Andapa, two of three main centers of vanilla production on the Indian Ocean island's northeast coast.
Most of Madagascar's vanilla is exported to the United States, where it is used for making confectionary, soft drinks and ice cream.
