Post interesting articles you find here..& comments.

Here in Mahajanga I see bundles of Vanilla being sold on the street ,usually in the tourist zone, and in the wet markets.  I have yet to learn what is good quality vanilla.  Is there a way  to buy good quality vanilla by look, smell, touch- taste before I buy. And how much does vanilla cost when sold by the bundle ( bundles do vary in size- so perhaps by the piece as in 15 to a bundle) or the kilo. 
Are the pre-packaged/ vacuum packed, vanilla sold in Markets such as Score or Leader Price or even at the airport, are they of good quality Vanilla?

Here is a Local  Article connected to the above that I have translated into english

http://www.moov.mg/ecoNationale.php?articleId=920243

    The vanilla industry: Mayors and military become operators (27-02-2017) - Successful schemes have never been effective in managing the vanilla sector. But the record of bad governance is certainly to be attributed to the current executive.

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© AFPNothing goes for the Malagasy vanilla sector. The last meeting of the Vanilla National Platform (NVP) was an opportunity for professionals to draw the alarm bells about the real crisis that currently plagues the vanilla industry.

Innovation. A crisis that manifests itself in different forms. And the innovation on the part of vanilla offenders is probably that of bringing elected officials and members of the law enforcement community among the operators of the sector. "In recent times, we have noticed that mayors and military have become vegetarians or vanilla collectors unexpectedly," reveals a vanilla professional. An interference that risks completely upsetting the industry. "They are people who have absolutely no experience in this area and their status as elected officials and military personnel may prevent them from being checked," according to our interlocutor who questions the government's ability to take charge The destinies of this sector which is nevertheless called upon to play a leading role in the economic recovery.

Flights from vanilla. In any case, the vanilla sector of Madagascar is currently dominated by a real mafia. In the 2016 season, about 80% of the vanilla pods were harvested prematurely. And this year, the situation is likely to worsen with the increase in thefts of vanilla on foot. Indeed, just three months after the flowering, we are already witnessing a series of stolen vanilla flights in the SAVA. Once again, these practices will deteriorate the quality of vanilla from Madagascar, which will eventually lose its position as world leader in the sector. And all this because of the officials who are not even able to secure the plantations.