2Vanilla – Price: $50 – $200/pound
Vanilla ranks #2 on our top list of the costliest spices in the world. The word ‘vanilla’ means ‘little pod’.
As you well know, vanilla is widely used as a flavoring in ice creams, sweets and other desserts.
And although artificial vanilla is available in market, natural vanilla is cultivated outside Central America and Mexico.
Besides Mexico, Madagascar produces the best quality vanilla in the world.
A pound of vanilla costs between $50 and $200. The high price is due to the fact that flowers are artificially pollinated by hand and the fruits are picked by hand once ripen.
