Spice Council to conserve name, Ceylon Cinnamon

Saradha de SILVA

I wish to highlight some of the action The Spice Council, Ceylon Cinnamon Association and the cinnamon industry/trade have taken in the past few years with regard to Ceylon Cinnamon cinnamomum zeylanicum.

Over the years we have made representations to the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of International Trade, Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Ministry of Science and Technology, Department of Export Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Export Development Board, Sri Lanka Standards Institute, National Council Economic Development, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, World Customs Organisation, American Spice Traders Association, International Organisation of Spice Trading Associations and European Spice Association in this regard.

For centuries the cinnamon industry/trade has always used Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume in promoting, trading and exporting Ceylon Cinnamon.

Cinnamon was always traded for over 100 years as Ceylon Cinnamon Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume being the botanical name and not by any other name.

World Customs Organisation(WCO) has always accepted Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume as the botanical name for Ceylon Cinnamon in the Harmonised Code commodity classification (H.S.Code). Even after the bifurcation of Cinnamon from Cassia in the H.S. Code, the botanical name Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume remains the same.

Department of Plant Quarantine has accepted Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume as the botanical name for Ceylon Cinnamon and issued quarantine certificates (PSC) for years.

Bureau of Ceylon Standards (now SLSI) in its standard 249 of 1973 for Cinnamon has used Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume as the botanical name.

Sri Lanka Export Development Board since its inception has been using Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume as the botanical name for Ceylon Cinnamon.

ISO Standard No: 6539 for cinnamon the botanical name is Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume.

At the last ISO meeting held in Paris in May 2007, to review the Standard, although the Indian delegation wanted to change it, Prof. Jayasiri Lankage as the only Sri Lankan delegate sponsored by The Spice Council and SAPPTA single handedly was able to defend it. Prof. Lankage has been authorised by the ISO committee to prepare a foot note along with the Indian delegate.

All we need to do now is allow Prof. Lankage to prepare the foot note and send it through SLSI to the ISO meeting to be held in May and send him to defend our position at the next meeting and not officials who did not want to go and defend the cinnamon industry/trades view even though funding was available.

The Spice Council made representations to Agriculture Development Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara, in May 2007 on the issue of botanical name of Ceylon Cinnamon and he immediately appointed a committee under chairmanship of Dr. D.S.A. Wijesundara.

The first meeting was held on June 6, 2007 chaired by the Minister at which I and other Spice Council and Ceylon Cinnamon Association officials representing the Cinnamon industry/trade were present.

At this meeting the minister informed the relevant Government official present to defend the botanical name Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume in the ISO standard and also work towards conserving Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume at the International Botanical Congress.

Subsequently on July 11, 2007 a workshop on “Taxonomy of Cinnamon and its implications for Trade” was held at the Herbarium, Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, chaired by Dr. D S A Wijesundara, Director General, Department of National Botanic Gardens at which The Spice Council, Ceylon Cinnamon Association, SAPPTA and the cinnamon industry/trade made their views clearly stating to conserve the botanical name Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume for Ceylon Cinnamon.

Conclusions arrived at this workshop should be followed by all public and private stakeholders in order to conserve Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume.

At the request of D. A. Perera, current Chairman of the Spice Council a meeting was held on January 25, 2008 at which Hemakumara Nanayakkara reviewed the progress and wanted the committee to expedite matters. At this meeting it was decided to request all exporters to include the name Ceylon Cinnamon and Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blumein all bales and packages when exported.

Sadly only the Department of Export Agriculture needs to be convinced to conserve the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume as the botanical name for Ceylon Cinnamon and change it in their web site and in all their publications.