STATE TO PROMOTE CINNAMON PLANTIATION IN FIVE DISTRICTS

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Plot project begins in Una/ 200 hectares to be brought under cultivation
• The government will encourage farmers in the lower areas to undertake commercial cultivation of cinnamon as a
pilot project in Una.
• The project will pave the way for its commercial cultivation even though some species of Cinnamomum genus
are growing naturally in the wild forest’s Cinnamomum verum, also called sweet wood, thrives will as a forest
tree at 300-350 mts.
• ‘About 1,000 famers will be trained for undertaking commercially cultivated high yielding varieties like navashree
konkan tej, yercaud 1, and nith yash ree known for delicate aroma and spicy flavour’ said Virender Kanwar,
Agriculture Minister,
• He said the first sapling of cinnamon verum was planted at Kholin village in the district. The pilot project is being
jointly implemented by the Agriculture Department and the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology
(IHBT) on a pilot basis in association with the ICAR’s Indian Institute of Spice Research Calicut Kerala.
• Around 200 hectares will be brought under the cinnamon cultivation in five years in Una Hamirpur, Bilaspur,
Kangra and Sirmaur districts having hot and humid climate with moderate temperature and rainfall of 1,750-
3,500 mm per annum.
• A CSIR -IHBT team trained farmers on the cinnamon cultivation and established a cinnamon demonstration plot
in Una.
• There is a huge demand for it even from abroad as it is used in a big way in baking. Cinnamon is a versatile spice
which can be added to any food item such as salads, confectionaries, beverages, soups, stews and sauces,
Besides its culinary usage, it has important medicinal applications.