Cinnamon is a valuable spice that is obtained from the bark of an evergreen tree (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) that belongs to the Laurel family. Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma) and the southern coastal strip of India. The crop now grows in South America and the West Indies, the Seychelles and Reunion. The best quality cinnamon is produced in Sri Lanka.
Cassia, which is the bark of the evergreen tree Cinnamomum cassia, is a similar spice to cinnamon but of an inferior quality. It is a native of Myanmar (Burma). Most of the world’s cassia comes from China, Indochina, Indonesia, the East and West Indies and Central America. Cassia bark is coarser and less fragrant than cinnamon and is sometimes used as a substitute.
Cinnamon must be dried before it is stored and sold for the market. This brief outlines the important steps that should be taken pre-harvest and post-harvest to ensure that the dried cinnamon is of top quality for selling.
This technical brief provides information on production, harvesting, processing, packaging and storage of cinnamon.
