CINNAMON OR TRUE CINNAMON - Intercom Exports

Cinnamon is a hardy plant which can be grown in almost all types of soils under a
wide range of climates. 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, it is cultivated on the white sandy soil. Well drained deep sandy soil rich in humus
are ideal for cinnamon cultivation. The best economic produce is obtained when grown in
silicaceous sandy soils, and the yield is high in other types of soils under Sri Lankan
conditions. Waterlogged and marshy areas may be avoided.
PROPOGATION
There are 3 methods of propagation of cinnamon;
1) Cinnamon is propagated through seed. This is the easiest and the most widely adopted
method. It is usually necessary to bag fruits which are either packed from tree or the
fallen ones collected from the ground. Ripe purple seeds would be ready for collection
during June – July. Seeds are removed from the mother trees with desirable
characteristics like
a) smooth bark
b) erect stem
c) easy peeling of bark
d) vigorous growth
e)free from pests and diseases
f)other good qualities like sweetness, pungency and flavour of bark.
Propagation by tissue culture is also successful at the NRCS (1994), but it still
awaits its commercial adoption. Selected adoption. Selected seeds are washed free of
pulp and then sown without delay as the seeds have a low viability. Seeds are sown in
nursery beds in pits filled with a mixtureof sand: soil: cattle manure (2:2:1). In beds,
seeds are sown in holes 2.5 cm deep and 10 cm in diameter in rows of about 20 cm apart.
About 20 seeds are sown or it may be reduced to 8 per hole. Beds of 1m width and
convenient length were suggested by Bavappa and Ruettiman. Seeds may be sown in
rows of 12 cm apart and coverd with a thin layer of soil. Seeds are sown in nursery beds
during July-Augustin India. Beds may be watered and shade provided during early stages.