Madagascar is one of the world's great spice islands, leading the world in vanilla and cloves and home to the ylang-ylang of Nosy Be. Every spice and oil on Barika is traced to the farmer, cooperative or distiller who produced it, and bought at fair prices paid directly to producers, so the people who grow it share in its value.
Specifications are indicative and confirmed per lot with a certificate of analysis. Request samples and specs on our Contact page. Looking for oils? See our Madagascar essential oils.
Spices of Madagascar
Vanilla (Bourbon, Vanilla planifolia)
The cured pod of a hand-pollinated orchid, Madagascar's signature spice. 'Bourbon' refers to Indian Ocean origin.
| Trade grade | Moisture | Vanillin (dry basis) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gourmet – Extra Black | 36–38% | >1.8% | >16 cm |
| Gourmet – Black I (Grade A) | 34–36% | >1.6% | >14 cm |
| Gourmet – Black II (TK) | 30–34% | >1.5% | >14 cm |
| Extraction – Red I (Grade B) | 25–29% | >1.4% | 10–13+ cm |
| Extraction – Red II / III | <25% | >1.4% | — |
| Cuts | <18% | >1% | <10 cm |
| Powder | <15% | >1% | — |
Typical trade classification. Madagascar's national vanilla standard also defines Extra, Prima, Supérieure, Courante and Courte categories.
Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
Sun-dried unopened flower buds. Madagascar is the world's leading clove exporter.
| Grade | Moisture (max) | Headless | Stems | Baby cloves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CG1 – Hand-picked | 10% | ~3% | ~0.5% | ~1% |
| CG2 – Prima | ~11% | low | low | low |
| CG3 – Courant | 12–13% | 3–5% | 1–5% | 2–5% |
| Clove stems | ~10% | — | — | — |
Indicative values; limits vary by contract.
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)
Sun-dried berries of the pepper vine, bold and aromatic.
| Grade | Density | Moisture | Admixture | Light berries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium / bold | 550–600 g/L | — | — | negligible |
| FAQ (standard export) | 500–550 g/L | ≤12–13.5% | ≤1% | ≤4% |
| Light (for grinding) | 400–450 g/L | — | — | — |
Graded by bulk density; typical values.
Green & White Pepper
From the same vine: green pepper is picked unripe; white pepper is the ripe berry with the skin removed.
Grades & specs on request
Pink Peppercorns (Baies Roses, Schinus terebinthifolius)
Not a true pepper: sweet, resinous berries with a gentle heat.
| Parameter | Typical spec |
|---|---|
| Moisture | ≤12% |
| Purity | ≥99% |
| Admixture | <1% |
| Sorting | By hand; bright pink to red |
Voatsiperifery Wild Pepper (Piper borbonense)
A wild pepper found only in Madagascar, hand-gathered from tall forest vines; each berry has a little tail.
| Parameter | Typical spec |
|---|---|
| Moisture | ≤12% (premium ≤11%) |
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)
Sweet, warm bark of the cinnamon tree.
Grades & specs on request
Ginger
Pungent, lemony rhizome grown by smallholders.
Grades & specs on request
Turmeric
Golden, earthy rhizome.
Grades & specs on request
Nutmeg & Mace
Nutmeg is the seed; mace is its red lacy covering.
Grades & specs on request
Combava (Kaffir Lime, Citrus hystrix)
Knobbly lime prized for its intensely fragrant zest and leaves.
Grades & specs on request
Sakay / Pili-Pili (Chili)
Fiery Malagasy chili, also the name of the classic chili condiment.
Grades & specs on request
Fine Cocoa (Specialty)
Fine-flavour cocoa with bright, fruity notes, prized by craft chocolate makers.
Grades & specs on requestPhoto Credits
- Cured Bourbon vanilla beans: Alphaomega1010, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dried cloves from Madagascar: Équinoxe Madagascar - www.equinoxemadagascar.fr, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Pepper vine with berries in Nosy Be, Madagascar: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- White peppercorns: George Muttathil Pulikurumba, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Pink peppercorn berries on the branch: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, Wikimedia Commons
- Dried voatsiperifery wild pepper from Fianarantsoa: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cinnamon bark from Madagascar: Équinoxe Madagascar - www.equinoxemadagascar.fr, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fresh ginger root: Claudia Rahary Soa, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Turmeric rhizome: Schlawensko, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nutmeg fruit with red mace: Schlawensko, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kaffir lime fruits: Jiafei Slay Queen, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sakay chili plant in Madagascar: Florantsika, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Colourful cocoa pods from Madagascar: Philstone, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sources
- Arrêté 4911-99-MCC, Malagasy vanilla standard (FAOLEX)
- Madagascar Vanilla Company – vanilla standard
- Policy Center for the New South – vanilla brief
- Madagascar Spices Company – cloves
- Robust Madagascar – cloves
- Alpha Exim Mada – cloves
- Monchy Natural Products – cloves
- Madaexports – cloves
- Al-Abbas Impex – black pepper
- Meva Cacao – black pepper
- Madaexports – spices
- Madagascar Market – pink pepper
- Jacarandas S&I – pink pepper
- Flavors.mg – voatsiperifery