The Practical Planter

Fiji may soon have vanilla industry

It is possible that a vanilla industry—dead in Fiji for more ban a century —will soon be seen again in the colony.

Retired American rancher, 77-year- Id Mr. W. J. Erich, is enthusiastic bout the prospect and has been xperimenting with vanilla growth nd production at his Deuba estate, utside Suva. He now has 3,200 ines growing—and says if he could icrease this to 30,000, it would be /orthwhile putting in a processing lant.

He says too that a Californian :e cream factory has already given im an undertaking to buy all Fiji roduced vanilla.

The processing of vanilla involves tie “sweating” of vines to bring out he vanilla flavour. Fiji is said to >e ideal for growing vanilla vines, iccause the world’s best come from reas 10 to 20 degrees above and •elow the Equator.

'Time, money and labour.. "

French colonies now hold the nonopoly on vanilla production but, iccording to Mr. Erich, American ud Canadian ice cream manufac urers are eager to find new sources.

U times, he said, the price was as ligh as $l2 a lb.

The experimental vanilla planta ion is part of a 1,500 acre land

tract owned by Mr. Erich at Deuba.

“I’ve spent a lot of time, money and labour looking for vanilla plants —and, in fact, found about 400 species on my own land,” he said.

“We found about 11 places where it was grown many years ago. I’d be glad to hear of any other places where it grows.”

Vanilla plants do not like full sunlight or deep shade, and Mr.

Erich is using the natural bush growth on his plantation to provide the necessary filtered light.

Now one of the most enthusiastic pioneers in Fiji agricultural circles, he came to Fiji 14 years ago, after retiring as a cattle rancher in the US. He says his nephew, Col. T.

E. Erich, of the US Air Force, plans to join him in the vanilla growing project—and Fiji’s Department of Agriculture has also indicated its support.

Help

“We are waiting until Mr. Erich has enough pods—then we will be interested in helping him carry out experiments with processing,” said Mr. J. D. Yelf, the Deputy Director of Agriculture.

“If it has survived in the bush for nearly 100 years, it would appear that vanilla in Fiji is very healthy.”

Vanilla was last grown com mercially in Fiji by European settlers more than 100 years ago, in the Navua area. After losing the market, they turned to cotton growing.

A healthy vanilla plant in Tahiti. Fiji may soon be producing vanilla of equal quality.

• Mr. W. J. Erich with some vanilla vines taken from his property at Deuba, Fiji.— Photo: Bal Ram.