Cinnamon

Cinnamon is one of the oldest and most valuable spices known to mankind and is mainly cultivated for the dried inner bark of the tree. Native to Sri Lanka, cinnamon is cultivated in the lower elevations of the Western Ghats, particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is widely used as a flavoring and aromatic agent in food products, confectionery, beverages, and bakery items. Cinnamon also has important medicinal properties and is used in traditional medicine, cosmetics, and perfume industries. The crop contributes to the spice trade, export earnings, and livelihood of farmers engaged in plantation agriculture, making it an economically and commercially important spice crop in India.