The bitter side of Madagascar vanilla: this is how the mafia starves small producers

“The mafia steals our vanilla. He buys it at a ridiculously low price, a beautiful and good abuse to the detriment of the people. “Aline Harisoa, representative of a grassroots association of farmers in Madagascar, tells the Daily Maverick, says that the blackmail of the underworld is a common practice and keeps the island’s production, which alone supplies 80% of the world‘s vanilla, is hostage.