Malagasy vanilla, symbol of the Red Island, is currently facing new regulations from the European Union, which drastically limits the level of nicotine residue authorized in imported spices. This measure, which sets the maximum rate at 0.05 milligrams per kilo, instead of 0.3 milligrams previously, has caused real concern among vanilla exporters in Madagascar.
Indeed, this new regulation could lead to the rejection of nearly 80% of batches of Malagasy vanilla exported to the European Union. A catastrophic situation for the island’s economy, since vanilla represents one of the main sources of foreign currency, and nearly 150,000 families live from this crop.
Vanilla exporters have put forward a solid argument to challenge this measure. According to them, the nicotine residues found in Malagasy vanilla do not pose a public health problem, compared to other products such as tomatoes or eggplants, which retain a maximum level of 0.3 milligrams of nicotine per kilo. In addition, vanilla is used sparingly in culinary preparations, which limits the quantity ingested by consumers.
Faced with this worrying situation, the European Union delegation in Madagascar alerted European authorities to the disastrous consequences of this regulation. Following these calls, a committee of experts will soon meet to study the possibility of increasing the level of nicotine residue authorized in Malagasy vanilla.
This revision of the regulation is an exceptional measure in response to the concerns expressed by economic operators and the Malagasy government. However, it is crucial to establish more dialogue and exchanges between technical operators from partner countries and importing countries from the European Union, in order to avoid such last-minute situations in the future.
It remains to be seen whether the new regulation will be adopted before the end of September and whether it will enter into force from the beginning of 2024. Pending this decision, the sanitary and phytosanitary services of the EU member states were asked to be flexible in the application of this nicotine residue level. Vanilla exporters, for their part, will also have to think about the reasons explaining the presence of traces of nicotine on their products.
In conclusion, Malagasy vanilla is facing a real challenge with these new European Union regulations. It is essential to find a balance between protecting public health and respecting the realities on the ground in producing countries. Let us hope that satisfactory solutions can be found quickly to preserve this precious economic resource of Madagascar.