Ten thousand hectares of cinnamon lands in Galle

Raja Waidyasekera, Tissamaharama Special corr.

TISSA: The latest statistics reveal that ten thousand hectares have been brought under cinnamon cultivation in the Galle district.

There are 27,440 hectares of cinnamon cultivation in Sri Lanka.

It is in the Galle district that a maximum number of lands has been brought under cinnamon cultivation.

About 400 families involved in cinnamon cultivation were left high and dry as a result of tsunami in several parts of the district. The cinnamon cultivation in the Galle district was given a new lease of life by the Agriculture Export Department, Galle branch. Ninety three acres of land were brought under cinnamon cultivation anew and 94 hectares of cinnamon cultivation were rehabilitated.

The Government has allocated Rs. 206,981,560 for cinnamon cultivators as subsidies. Fertiliser has been provided to the cultivators free of charge.

According to cinnamon exporters, Sri Lanka is the main supplier of cinnamon to the world market. There is a vast demand for Sri Lankan cinnamon in foreign countries.

It is said that annually a consignment of 12,500 tons of cinnamon is exported to foreign countries and a Rs. 6,000 million is derived as foreign exchange by the country.

The Export Agriculture Department, Deputy Director, Galle, told the Daily News that an extensive plan has been drawn up by the Department to give a boost to the cinnamon cultivation in the south which is a money spinner.