Web AgroPLUS 34 January

1. Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices
The true cinnamon, also called as Ceylon Cinnamon is
the dried bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Bl.
It is native of Sri Lanka. In India, it is grown in the Nilgiris,
South Kanara, Malabar, Assam and Kumaon. It is
an evergreen tree. The tree attains a height of 8 to 12
metres, but in cultivation it is coppiced or cut back to a
height of about 2 metres.
Its highly aromatic leaves are 12 to 17 cm. long, dark
glossy green above and lighter beneath. The flowers are
small, yellow and inconspicuous developing into dark
purple ovoid and one seeded berries, about 1.5 to 2.5
cm. long.
2. Soil and Climate Required for Growing
Cinnamon
It is a hardy plant which can very well grow in almost all
types of soils under a wide variety of tropical conditions.
The quality of the bark is highly influenced by the soil
and ecological factors. In Sri Lanka which is the major
cinnamon growing country in the world the plants are
cultivated on white sandy soil.
Sandy or siliceous soils with an admixture of humus are
considered to be ideal for cinnamon cultivation. Sheltered
situations upto an altitude of 800 to 1000 metres
receiving an annual rainfall of 200 to 250 cm. are considered
to be good for the crop.
3. Propagation of Cinnamon
The easiest and most widely adopted method of cinnamon
propagation is by seed. It can also be propagated by
planting, cutting and layers.
Cinnamon fruits ripen in July-August. The fruits fall
down when fully ripe. The fleshy berries are left in heaps
in shade to soften and rot. The mass is then trempled.
The pulp free seeds are washed and dried in shade. They
are sown without much delay as they have a short period
of viability. The nursery is raised in a suitable spot in
soil, rich in organic matter.
The place is dug well twice or thrice. The soil is broken to
powder and made loose, making it altogether free from
stones, root bits, etc. The seed beds are made 1 metre
wide and of suitable length with adequate provision for
drainage. The seeds are sown in lines 12 cm. apart and
are covered with a layer of soil to a thickness of about
2.5 cm.
Germination of seed occurs in about 20 days. The beds
have to be provided with artificial shade and watered
regularly. The shade should continue until the plants
are about 12 cm. in height and then removed gradually.
Transplanting is best done when the plants are about 10
to 12 month old.
4. Planting of Cinnamon
Seedlings are transplanted when they are about 12
months old at a distance of about 2 metres between
plants and rows. The planting is done in ideal weather
conditions, preferably in June-July.
5. Harvesting and Curing with Cinnamon
There are two regular cutting seasons in South India,
which more or less synchronize with two monsoons.
The appropriate time for cutting the shoots for peeling
is determined with reference to the circulation of sap
between the wood and the corky layer.
The sap flow and the time for peeling are judged by the
peelers by making a test cut on the stem with a sharp
knife. If the bark separates readily, the cutting is commenced
immediately.
The shoots should be of at least two years growth with
the bark having a uniform brown colour and should
have attained a length of 1 to 1.25 m. and a thickness of
not less than 1.25 cm. Shoots satisfying these requirements
are cut and bundled after the leaves and the terminal
shoots have been removed.
Cutting is followed by scraping and peeling operations.
The peeling is a specialized operation peculiar to this industry
which requires some skill and considerable experience.
It is done by using a specially made knife which
has a small and round pointed end with a projection on
one side to facilitate ripping of the bark.
The peeler takes the cut shoots one by one and after
scraping outer skin, first makes a longitudinal slit from
one end to the other. Then working the knife between
the bark is ripped quickly. The twigs cut in the morning
are peeled on the same day. The peeled slips are gathered
and kept overnight under shade for what is called
“fermentation’.
However, while no real fermentation process develops
during the course of a night, a little softening of the bark
does occur with the result that peels become more easy
and pliable for ensuring piping operation. The bark as it
dries contracts and assumes the shape of a pipe otherwise
known as quill.
The smaller quills or pipes are inserted into larger ones
to form compound quills. They are then arranged systematically
end to end in length of about 90 cm.
The quills are rolled by hand when they are soft and fresh
and after rolling they are dried on mats in shade. The
drying lasts for 2-5 days, depending upon the weather
conditions and the type of bark. When the drying is
complete the bark is collected and packed in bundles of
different grades for trade.
6. Yield of Cinnamon
The yield from 1 hectare of cinnamon plantation after
attaining the proper yielding stage is 200 to 350 kg. of
bark and 2-3 kg. of leaf oil per year on an average.
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