Harvesting Cinnamon

When the seedlings attain the age of about two years and when the bark is brown in colour the main shoot is ccoppiced or cut back to a height of about 6 cm from ground level. This is repeated for every side shoot developing from the main stem so that the plant will resume the shape of a low bush and a few stems suitable for peeling would be available continuously. When the plant is coppiced, a large number of shoots will emerge but only the healthy ones are to be retained and the rest removed. While harvesting, cutting should be done in such a manner that the cut surfaces the inside of the clump.

This prompts tillering. Normally, the harvesting of the mature sticks is done following the two rainy seasons after the new flush of leaves have hardened. At this time the bark peels off easily.

However, harvesting during other parts of the year can also be done and is being practised by some planters. But under very good management conditions, harvesting could be done more than two times per year. Such a practice coupled with split application of fertilizer can help to increase the yield. While harvesting, the tops and branches are lopped off and left on the ground to be used for leaf oil distillation. The sticks are collected and carried to the peeling shed. Peeling is done with a small round knife having a point on one side for ripping. After scraping the sticks clean of the corky tissues the peeler rubs them with a brass rod to loosen the bark from the hard wood. He then draws a longitudinal slit from end to end and works the knife between the bark and the wood till he has raised it about half inch wide. The stick is then turned and another slit opposite to the former is drawn by working the knife and the bark is detached from the wood in two halves. These barks are connected one inside the other until 106.7cm long quills are made Packing has to be done with great care using the small pieces of bark and chips obtained from the unpeelable bark from twigs to fill the inside of quills. These are then air dried on rope strands indoors till they are fit for handling.

In the above process of quill making, the final job in the handling consists of pressing in the edges of the out side piece wherever necessary and trimming the ends with pair of scissors. Quills are next arranged on rope strands indoors for indoor drying . Sun drying is not recommended as high temperature wraps the quills. A well made cinnamon pipe will be of uniform thickness, colour and quality. The edges should have been neatly joined in a straight line from end to end. The ends should resemble a tight roll of paper. The whole structure should feel firm and compact under thumb pressure. Quills are tied in bundles of 45kg each for easy handling.