When the pandemic brought life to a standstill, an Assam school teacher turned her idle hours into a fortune. Camerina Rabha, a resident of Goalpara and a dedicated educator, discovered a life-changing opportunity in one of the world’s most expensive spices—vanilla. What began as a side activity after her school hours now earns her over ₹12 lakh annually.
Inspired by Her Husband’s Idea
During the 2020 lockdown, Camerina found herself with free time after 3 PM. Her husband came across an article on vanilla farming—the second most expensive spice globally after saffron. The idea immediately struck her.
She learned that dried vanilla beans sell for ₹10,000–₹12,000 per kg. Without wasting time, she sourced 30 vanilla cuttings from a nursery in Meghalaya at ₹350 each and planted them near her home. As the plants flourished, she expanded her plantation in 2021 and 2022.
Mastering the Art of Cultivation
Armed with an M.Ed. degree, Camerina quickly grasped the technique of preparing vanilla cuttings. She soon expanded her farm to one bigha, nurturing 1,200 vanilla plants in total.
Vanilla vines begin flowering after three years. In 2022, she harvested her first crop from just 30 plants. By 2023, she was harvesting from 200 plants. Due to high temperatures, the yield per plant initially remained around 1 kg, but after installing shade nets, she now expects a minimum of 2 kg per plant.
The best part? A vanilla plant continues to bear fruit for 25–30 years, needing minimal maintenance.
The Earnings That Changed Her Life
Vanilla’s value lies in its processing. About 5 kg of green beans produce 1 kg of dried vanilla, which fetches premium prices.
In 2024, Camerina earned:
- ₹5 lakh from selling 50 kg of dried vanilla beans
- ₹12 lakh from selling vanilla cuttings
To encourage new farmers, she reduced the price of her cuttings from ₹250 to ₹150. Her high-density plantation and organic methods—using only cow dung and goat manure—make the model cost-effective and sustainable.
Sharing the Formula With Others
What makes vanilla farming challenging is the hand pollination process, as the natural pollinating bee species Melipona is nearly extinct. Each flower must be pollinated manually by gently pressing the anther and stigma together—a technique that takes just 5–7 seconds per flower.
Camerina pollinates only 65–70% of the flowers to protect plant health and improve bean quality. After harvesting, the beans undergo a two-month drying process.
Now, Camerina conducts training sessions and offers free guidance to other farmers. She believes vanilla cultivation can transform the lives of many, just as it transformed hers.
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