INTRODUCTION The soft, golden colored and delicate cigar-like rolls of Ceylon Cinnamon has long been an essential part of world cuisine and herbal medication yet claims its' origin to the humble cinnamon groves in the Western coast of Sri Lanka. The crop now grows in South America and the West Indies, Seychelles, and Reunion. The best quality cinnamon is produced in Sri Lanka. Production The bushes grow well in shaded places with an average rainfall and without extremes of temperature. The optimum temperature for production is between 27 and 30°C. The soil should not be waterlogged as this produces a bitter-tasting bark. Eight or tenside branches grow on the bush and these are harvested after about three years to obtain the cinnamon bark. Harvesting Cinnamon bark is harvested twice a year immediately after each of the rainy seasons when the humidity makes the bark peel more easily. The trees are first harvested when they are three years old, one year after pruning. The side stems that are about three years old are removed and the bark is stripped off. Cinnamon bark is only obtained from stems that are between 1.2 and 5cm in diameter. Processing Processing accounts for about 60% of the cost of production of cinnamon. This is because the peeling of bark from the stems is labour intensive and is usually done by hand, by skilled peelers. The quality of cinnamon depends on how well the bark is removed from the stems Drying The compound quills are placed on coir rope racks and dried in the shade to prevent warping. After four or five days of drying, the quills are rolled on a board to tighten the filling and then placed in subdued sunlight for further drying. Grading quality of cinnamon is judged by the thickness of the bark, the appearance (broken or entire quills) and the aroma and flavour. Packaging Cinnamon quills are cut into pieces up to 10cm in length and packed into moisture-proof polypropylene bags for sale. The bags should be sealed to prevent moisture from entering. Sealing machines can be used to seal the bags. Attractive labels should be applied to the products. Storage Dried cinnamon quills must be stored in moisture-proof containers away from direct sunlight. The stored cinnamon quills should be inspected regularly for signs of spoilage or moisture. If they have absorbed moisture, they should be re-dried to a moisture content of 10%.