While Sri Lanka’s most famous export today might be tea, historically the most important has been cinnamon. In fact, so strong is the affinity between cinnamon and Sri Lanka that the very botanical name of the spice – Cinnamomum zeylanicum is derived from the island’s former name, Ceylon. Strongly aromatic, sweet, pleasant, warm but hardly bitter or astringent. This is the most important spice grown in Sri Lanka. It is derived from the bark of an aromatic coniferous shrub Cinnamomum zeylanicum. The total area cultivated is around 42,000 acres of which 69% is pure crop, 24% mixed crop and 7% from scattered home gardens, meeting around 85% of the world demand of Cinnamon approximately 12,000 metric tons. The main peeling season are April/May to September/October.