Vanilla beans are the cured seed pods of the climbing orchid Vanilla planifolia. Sri Lanka grows vanilla on a small scale in its spice-growing districts, where farmers hand-pollinate each flower and cure the green pods over several weeks until they turn dark brown, supple and fragrant.

Limited supply. Sri Lanka exported under half a tonne of vanilla in 2025, so this is a small-lot, specialty origin rather than a bulk alternative to Madagascar. It suits chefs, bakeries, extract makers and retailers who want a single-origin Sri Lankan bean.

Grades we quote

• Gourmet (Grade A): whole, plump, oily beans with higher moisture (typically 30 to 35 percent), for cooking and retail
• Extraction (Grade B): drier beans (typically 15 to 25 percent moisture), often split or shorter, for extracts
• Cuts and split beans on request

What to include in your request

• Grade, bean length and moisture range
• Quantity, and whether you want vacuum-packed retail bundles or bulk
• Lab parameters you need on the certificate (for example vanillin content, moisture, microbiology)
• Destination port

Documents

Cured vanilla beans ship as a dried spice with a phytosanitary certificate. CITES lists vanilla orchids, but it exempts vanilla fruits (the beans), so no CITES permit is needed for cured beans. For the United States the tariff code is HTS 0905.10 for whole beans; food importers there handle FDA prior notice.

Beans are vacuum-packed to hold moisture and aroma, and sent by air for small lots. Each lot can be tested by an independent laboratory before shipment.

How to get a price: tell us the grade, quantity and destination. We quote FOB Colombo, CFR or CIF, with lead time, and send a sample first. The range shown is indicative, from Sri Lankan customs export data.