| Popis: |
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) is indigenous to Sri Lanka, which contributes around 90% of the global trade of true cinnamon. Given its wide range of industrial applications, including food and beverage, liqueur, perfumery, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and oral care industries, and with the advent of green economy, there is growing global demand for Ceylon cinnamon. Because of its exquisite organoleptic properties combined with insignificant content of coumarin, a carcinogen, in its bark, Ceylon cinnamon, if strategically and vigorously marketed, could command a clear competitive edge in the global market over its competitor, cassia, which is of inferior quality and carries appreciable amounts of coumarin. However, its low productivity, low export volume, high cost of production, dearth of peelers and limited value addition are key constraints to enhancing the cinnamon industry in Sri Lanka. Peeling of the bark from stem and preparation of quills is labour intensive and accounts for around 60% of the cost of production. Agronomic interventions, such as development of high-yielding varieties with desirable canopy characteristics and superior quality, optimizing agro-climatic and land potential for enhanced yield and quality, improved agro-technology and crop management, expansion of cultivation and development of efficient, novel and less labour-intensive peeling technology, can transform cinnamon into a multi-billion dollar industry in Sri Lanka. Therefore, cinnamon shows great promise as an agro-industrial crop with great export potential. |
