The genus Cinnamomum

Economics and Marketing of Cinnamon and Cassia 303
Table 12.18 Import price of cinnamon and cassia in to the US and the EU markets by source country
(1996–2000 average)
Country of origin USA market 1 EU market 2
Unit Price Unit Price
price ratio price ratio
Canada 3.52 1.20 – –
China* 1.63 0.55 1.64 0.77
Germany 4.34 1.47 – –
Hong Kong 2.03 0.69 – –
India* 1.51 0.51 – –
Indonesia* 1.31 0.44 – –
Mexico 3.82 1.30 – –
Netherlands 5.03 1.71 – –
Singapore 2.25 0.77 – –
Sri Lanka* 4.80 1.63 4.04 1.9
Thailand 2.84 0.96 – –
Turkey 4.28 1.46 – –
United Kingdom 2.21 0.75 – –
Vietnam* 2.35 0.80 1.55 0.73
Seychelles* – – 1.42 0.67
Madgascar* – – 1.25 0.59
Other 2.20 0.75 2.11 0.99
Average 2.94 – 2.13 –
Notes
Price US$/kg.
* Producing countries.
1 1996–2000 average.
2 1992–96 average.
Cinnamon and Cassia Oils
The most important cinnamon oils in the world trade are:
• Cinnamon bark and leaf oil from C. verum
• Cassia oil from C. cassia
World supply and demand trends
Cinnamon bark oil is a high value oil traded the world over. But the volumes traded are
very low. Sri Lanka is the major supplier of cinnamon bark oil. During 1987–1996 the
average export was around 2.8 t (FAO, 1995). However, in 1995, the total supply from
Sri Lanka was 3.32 t and in subsequent years it went up marginally. Table 12.19 provides
the list of destination-wise export of cinnamon bark oil for 1987–96. The major
market for cinnamon bark oil is the European Union; France is the biggest importer
followed by the US.
Leaf oil
World demand for cinnamon leaf oil has been around 120–150 t pa in recent years,
a demand met mostly by Sri Lanka (Table 12.19). Sri Lankan exports have averaged